Antigen-induced regulatory T cells in HBV chronically infected patients

作者：Barboza Luisa; Salmen Siham; Goncalves Loredana; Colmenares Melisa; Peterson Darrell; Montes Henry; Cartagirone Raimondo; Gutierrez Maria del Carmen; Berrueta Li**eth^*

来源：Virology, 2007, 368(1): 41-49.

DOI：10.1016/j.virol.2007.06.030

• HBcAg
• CD4+FoxP3+
• chronically infected hepatitis B patients
• IL-10
• TGF-beta
• natural tregs
• CTLA-4
• GITR

T cell response against HBV is vigorous in patients with acute hepatitis who clear the virus, whereas it is weak and narrowly focused in patients with chronic disease. We report that following incubation with HBcAg, a population of CD4+FoxP3+ cells expressing phenotypic markers of both natural and induced Tregs, can be antigen-induced from peripheral mononuclear cells. Conversely, naive and naturally immune subjects did not increase CD4+FoxP3+ Tregs following stimulation with HBcAg, supporting the idea that natural Tregs are able to respond specifically to HBV antigen. Furthermore, increased frequencies of antigen-induced CD4+FoxP3+IL-10+ Tregs correlated with viral load, suggesting that antigen-induced Tregs could contribute to an inadequate response against the virus, leading to chronic infection and support the view that specific natural Tregs may be implicated in host immune tolerance during HBV infection.

• 出版日期2007-11-10