Successful Interferon-Free Therapy of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection Normalizes Natural Killer Cell Function.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection activates an intrahepatic immune response, leading to increased expression of interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes and activation of natural killer (NK) cells-the most prevalent innate immune cell in the liver. We investigated whether the elimination of hepatitis C virus with direct-acting antiviral normalizes expression of IFN-stimulated genes and NK cell function.

Methods

We used multicolor flow cytometry to analyze NK cells from the liver and blood of 13 HCV-infected patients who did not respond to treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Samples were collected before and during IFN-free treatment with daclatasvir and asunaprevir and compared with samples from the blood of 13 healthy individuals (controls). Seru

SUBMITTER: Serti E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4523392 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature