Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment of HCV Infection Does Not Resolve the Dysfunction of Circulating CD8⁺ T-Cells in Advanced Liver Disease.

ABSTRACT: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection disrupts immune functions, including that of cytotoxic CD8⁺ T-cells which are important mediators of immune response. While HCV cure aims to eliminate long term sequelae of infection, whether direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment results in immune reconstitution remains unclear. We and others have reported generalized CD8⁺ T-cell dysfunction in chronic HCV infection and our research suggests that the degree of liver damage is a factor in this process. Our recent research indicates that liver fibrosis is not readily reversed after DAA-mediated clearance of chronic HCV infection. We therefore examined the function of circulating CD8⁺ T-cell subsets in chronic HCV infection in the context of liver fibrosis severity,

SUBMITTER: Vranjkovic A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6700371 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature