Premium
Correlates and characteristics of hepatitis C virus‐specific T ‐cell immunity in exposed uninfected high‐risk prison inmates
Author(s) -
Cameron B.,
Galbraith S.,
Li H.,
Lloyd A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1111/jvh.12016
Subject(s) - immunology , seroconversion , antibody , hepatitis c virus , immune system , medicine , cytokine , immunity , virology , hepatitis c , interferon , biology , virus
Summary Some hepatitis C ( HCV )‐uninfected, high‐risk individuals have HCV ‐specific cellular immunity without viraemia or seroconversion. The characteristics of these responses and the risk behavioural associations were studied in 94 subjects in a prospective cohort of recently seronegative prisoners reporting injecting drug use ( IDU ). Detailed behavioural data were collected. HCV antibody and PCR testing were performed. ELIS pot assays for HCV ‐induced interferon ( IFN )‐γ and interleukin ( IL )‐2 production by T lymphocytes, as well as multiplex in vitro cytokine production assays, were performed. Seventy‐eight subjects remained antibody and PCR negative and 16 seroconverted. Of the seronegative group, 22 (28%) had IFN ‐γ ELIS pot responses in comparison with 13 of the 16 seroconverters (82%). This seronegative immune status was associated positively with injecting anabolic steroids and negatively with a recent break from IDU . The IFN ‐γ ELIS pot responses involved both CD 4 and CD 8 T lymphocytes and were comparable in magnitude, but narrower in specificity, in uninfected subjects than in seroconverters. A subset of seronegative subjects had HCV ‐induced cytokine production patterns comparable with the seroconverters with increased production of IFN ‐γ, IL ‐2 and tumour necrosis factor ( TNF )‐α and reduced IL ‐10 in response to nonstructural peptides. In conclusion, comparable patterns of HCV ‐specific cellular immunity are found in recently infected subjects and in a minority of high‐risk, uninfected subjects. Further characterization of these responses and their protective efficacy will inform HCV vaccine development.