CD4+ T cell help during early acute hepacivirus infection is critical for viral clearance and the generation of a liver-homing CD103+CD49a+ effector CD8+ T cell subset.

ABSTRACT: In hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are crucial for viral control. However, a detailed understanding of the kinetic of CD4+ T cell help and its role in the generation of different CD8+ T cell subsets during acute infection is lacking. The absence of a small HCV animal model has impeded mechanistic studies of hepatic antiviral T cell immunity and HCV vaccine development. In this study, we used a recently developed HCV-related rodent hepacivirus infection mouse model to investigate the impact of CD4+ T cell help on the hepatic CD8+ T cell response and viral clearance during hepacivirus infection in vivo. Our results revealed a specific kinetic of CD4+ T cell dependency during acute infection. Early CD4+ T cell help was essential for CD8+ T cell priming and viral clear

SUBMITTER: Lopez-Scarim J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11498735 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature