Hepatic iNKT cells produce type 2 cytokines and restrain antiviral T cells during acute hepacivirus infection.

ABSTRACT: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a curable disease, but the absence of a vaccine remains a major problem in infection prevention. The lack of small animal models and limited access to human liver tissue impede the study of hepatic antiviral immunity and the development of new vaccine strategies. We recently developed an immune-competent mouse model using an HCV-related rodent hepacivirus which shares immunological features with human viral hepatitis. In this study, we used this new model to investigate the role of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells during hepacivirus infection in vivo. These cells are enriched in the liver, however their role in viral hepatitis is not well defined. Using high-dimensional flow cytometry and NKT cell deficient mice we analyzed a poten

SUBMITTER: Raus S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9501689 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature