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Increased Expression of Regulatory Tr1 Cells in Recurrent Hepatitis C after Liver Transplantation
Author(s) -
Carpentier A.,
Conti F.,
Stenard F.,
Aoudjehane L.,
Miroux C.,
Podevin P.,
Morales O.,
Chouzenoux S.,
Scatton O.,
Groux H.,
Auriault C.,
Calmus Y.,
Pancre V.,
Delhem N.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american journal of transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.89
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1600-6143
pISSN - 1600-6135
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2009.02743.x
Subject(s) - medicine , liver transplantation , transplantation , immunology
Immune response failure during HCV infection has been associated with the activity of regulatory T cells. Hepatitis C‐related cirrhosis is the main reason for liver transplantation. However, 80% of transplanted patients present an accelerated recurrence of the disease. This study assessed the involvement of regulatory T‐cell subsets (CD4+CD25+ cells: ‘Treg’ and CD49b+CD18+ cells: ‘T regulatory‐1’ cells), in the recurrence of HCV after liver transplantation, using transcriptomic analysis, ELISA assays on serum samples and immunohistochemistry on liver biopsies from liver recipients 1 and 5 years after transplantation. Three groups of patients were included: stable HCV‐negative recipients and those with mild and severe hepatitis C recurrence. At 5 years, Treg markers were overexpressed in all HCV+ recipients. By contrast, Tr1 markers were only overexpressed in patients with severe recurrence. At 1 year, a trend toward the overexpression of Tr1 was noted in patients evolving toward severe recurrence. IL‐10 production, a characteristic of the Tr1 subset, was enhanced in severe recurrence at both 1 and 5 years. These results suggest that Tr1 are enhanced during severe HCV recurrence after liver transplantation and could be predictive of HCV recurrence. High levels of IL‐10 at 1 year could be predictive of severe recurrence, and high IL‐10 producers might warrant more intensive management.