HCV-specific lymphocyte responses in individuals with positive anti-HCV but negative HCV-RNA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) status cannot be reliably predicted in anti-HCV positive/HCV-RNA negative individuals who may either have recovered spontaneously or have a false-positive test due to antibody cross-reaction. Investigating T lymphocyte responses in individuals with different HCV status may help understand the cellular immune mechanisms underlying spontaneous recovery, treatment response, and chronicity.

OBJECTIVE:

We aimed to determine whether anti-HCV positive, HCV-RNA negative individuals are truly spontaneous recoverers from acute HCV infection.

STUDY DESIGN:

We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISPOT) assay to compare HCV-specific lymphocyte response among anti-HCV positive/HCV-RNA negative individuals, patients with sustained virological response to interferon-γ/ribavirin treatment, and patients with chronic HCV infection.

RESULTS:

We found that 83% of anti-HCV positive/HCV-RNA negative individuals without a past medical history of acute icteric hepatitis had an HCV-specific T lymphocyte response in peripheral blood. Lymphocyte responses in these individuals were similar in magnitude to treatment responders unlike patients with chronic HCV whose virus-directed immunity was significantly suppressed.

CONCLUSIONS:

Detection of HCV-specific T lymphocyte responses using ELISPOT is a feasible method to ascertain past asymptomatic acute HCV infection.

• Authors: Uluhan Sili, Abdurrahman Kaya, Selda Aydin, Nur Hondur, Ali Mert, Fehmi Tabak, Resat Ozaras, Recep Ozturk
• Journal: Journal of clinical virology : the official publication of the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology (J Clin Virol) Vol. 67 Pg. 73-7 (Jun 2015) ISSN: 1873-5967 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25959163 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Hepatitis C Antibodies
• RNA, Viral

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Diagnostic Tests, Routine (methods)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay (methods)
• Female
• Hepatitis C (diagnosis)
• Hepatitis C Antibodies (blood)
• Humans
• Lymphocytes (immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• RNA, Viral (blood)
• Young Adult