Functional differences in hepatitis C virus nonstructural (NS) 3/4A- and 5A-specific T cell responses.

ABSTRACT: The hepatitis C virus nonstructural (NS) 3/4A and NS5A proteins are major targets for the new direct-acting antiviral compounds. Both viral proteins have been suggested as modulators of the response to the host cell. We have shown that NS3/4A- and NS5A-specific T cell receptors confer different effector functions, and that killing of NS3/4A-expressing hepatocytes is highly dependent on IFN-γ. We here characterize the functional differences in the T cell responses to NS3/4A and NS5A. NS3/4A- and NS5A-specific T cells could be induced at various frequencies in wild-type-, NS3/4A-, and NS5A-transgenic mice. Priming of NS5A-specific T cells required a high DNA dose, and was unlike NS3/4A dependent on both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, but less influenced by CD25(+)/GITR(+) regulatory T cells. The

SUBMITTER: Holmstrom F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4855235 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature