Functional Antigen-Specific CD8 T_SCM Responses Are Associated with Repeated Clearance of Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

ABSTRACT: Natural clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection occurs in about 25% of primary infections, but offers only partial protective immunity against re-infections. This study hypothesised that long-lived polyfunctional HCV-specific CD8+ memory stem T cells (T_SCM) contribute to protective immunity in rare super-clearer subjects who repeatedly clear viraemia. Six super-clearers and four clearer-chronic subjects who resolved a primary infection but subsequently developed chronic infection were studied at multiple timepoints. The T_SCM population (CCR7+CD45RA+CD95+) was bulk sorted, labelled with CellTrace Violet (CTV), and stimulated in vitro for five days with cognate HCV peptide, IL-2/IL-15, and autologous PBMCs. Functionality of the expanded HCV-specific T_SCM

SUBMITTER: Zhao Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12712888 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature