Hepatitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Hepatitis, including details on hepatitis a, b, c, causes, symptoms.

Spontaneous recovery in acute human hepatitis C virus infection: functional T-cell thresholds and relative importance of CD4 help.

Smyk-Pearson S, Tester IA, Klarquist J, Palmer BE, Pawlotsky JM, Golden-Mason L, Rosen HR

GI and Hepatology Division, B-158, Academic Office Building 1, 12631 East 17th Ave., Room 7614, P.O. Box 6511, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.

The mechanisms mediating protective immunity to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are incompletely understood because early infection in humans is rarely identified, particularly in those individuals who subsequently demonstrate spontaneous virus eradication. We have established a large national network of patients with acute HCV infection. Here, we comprehensively examined total HCV-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell responses and identified functional T-cell thresholds that predict recovery. Interestingly, we found that the presence of HCV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that can proliferate, exhibit cytotoxicity, and produce gamma interferon does not ensure recovery, but whether these CTLs were primed in the presence or absence of CD4(+) T-cell help (HCV-specific interleukin-2 production) is a critical determinant. These results have important implications for early prediction of the virologic outcome following acute HCV and for the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches.

Published 31 January 2008 in J Virol, 82(4): 1827-37.
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