Are FoxP3(+) cells involved in hyporesponsiveness to interferon/ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C?

• Summary. We aimed to clarify the role of liver-infiltrating FoxP3(+)T cells for the response to therapy in chronic hepatitis C. Liver biopsies from 52 patients were collected prior to the start of interferon/ribavirin treatment, and the kinetics of viral decay during treatment were compared in patients with high and low infiltration of FoxP3(+) cells. These groups did not differ with respect to the effectiveness of early viral clearance or the frequency of sustained viral response. Our data imply that FoxP3(+) cell-mediated immunosuppression is not a major mechanism of hyporesponsiveness to interferon-based therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Mikrobiologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Microbiology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Keyword

antiviral treatment; Foxp3; hepatitis C virus; histopathology; immunohistochemistry; regulatory T cells; tregs

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)