Upregulation of CXCR3 expression on CD8+ T cells due to the pervasive influence of chronic hepatitis B and C virus infection.

Abstract

Chronic systemic 'latent' viral infections such as Cytomegalovirus infection (CMV) are known to leave a fingerprint in the total T-cell population. We investigated whether chronic infections with a 'persistent' viremia, such as chronic hepatitis B and C (CHB, CHC), characterized by local organ-specific inflammation, also impact the total peripheral T-cell population or other virus specific T-cells that do not target hepatitis viruses. No phenotypic or functional differences were found between CD8(+) T-cells or CMV- or Epstein-Barr virus specific T-cells in viral hepatitis and healthy controls (HC). However, expression of chemokine-receptor CXCR3 was significantly higher on total peripheral CD8(+) T-cells of CHB or CHC patients compared to HC (p<0.005) which may reflect the pervasive influence of a persistent viral infection, even when restricted to the liver. In CHB higher CXCR3 expression was associated with positive HBeAg-status and correlated with the percentage of HBsAg expressing hepatocytes found in liver biopsies, both pointing to a relation between CXCR3 expression and disease activity. In fact chemokine-receptors such as CXCR3 are important for T-cell recruitment to the liver and chemokine-ligands specific for CXCR3 are upregulated in chronic hepatitis. Modulating chemokine(receptor) expression could be a potential target for future therapy to optimize the anti-viral immunologic environment in the liver.

• Authors: A de Niet, J de Bruijne, M J Tempelmans Plat-Sinnige, R B Takkenberg, R A W van Lier, H W Reesink, E M M van Leeuwen
• Journal: Human immunology (Hum Immunol) Vol. 74 Issue 8 Pg. 899-906 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1879-1166 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23643635 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Receptors, CXCR3

Topics

• CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes (cytology, immunology, metabolism)
• Case-Control Studies
• Cell Differentiation (immunology)
• Gene Expression Regulation
• Hepatitis B, Chronic (genetics, immunology, metabolism)
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (genetics, immunology, metabolism)
• Humans
• Immunophenotyping
• Phenotype
• Receptors, CXCR3 (genetics, metabolism)