Natural Killer Cells Induce CD8⁺ T Cell Dysfunction via Galectin-9/TIM-3 in Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

ABSTRACT: The antiviral response of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8⁺ T cells is weak in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. However, the specific characteristics of these cells and the association between NK cells and CD8⁺ T cell dysfunction is not well known. In this study, higher galectin-9 (Gal-9) expression was observed in circulating NK cells from CHB patients than from healthy controls and was found to contribute to NK cell dysfunction. In addition, circulating CD8⁺ T cells showed obvious dysfunction and overexpressed TIM-3, the natural receptor of Gal-9, during active CHB infection. Gal-9⁺ and Gal-9^- NK cells from active CHB patients were sorted and cocultured with autologous CD8⁺ T cells. The proportion of tet

SUBMITTER: Liu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9301626 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature