Hepatitis D infection induces IFN-β-mediated NK cell activation and TRAIL-dependent cytotoxicity.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The co-infection of hepatitis B (HBV) patients with the hepatitis D virus (HDV) causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis and thus drastically worsens the course of the disease. Therapy options for HBV/HDV patients are still limited. Here, we investigated the potential of natural killer (NK) cells that are crucial drivers of the innate immune response against viruses to target HDV-infected hepatocytes.

Methods

We established in vitro co-culture models using HDV-infected hepatoma cell lines and human peripheral blood NK cells. We determined NK cell activation by flow cytometry, transcriptome analysis, bead-based cytokine immunoassays, and NK cell-mediated effects on T cells by flow cytometry. We validated the mechanisms using CRISPR/Cas9-mediat

SUBMITTER: Groth C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10739304 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature