1. Immunobiology of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: the role of CD4 T cells in HCV infection.
- Author
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Eckels, David D., Wang, Huiru, Bian, Tong Hua, Tabatabai, Niloofar, and Gill, Joan C.
- Subjects
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HEPATITIS C virus , *LIVER diseases , *IMMUNE response , *ANTIGENS - Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is yet another example of a pathogen that persists in the presence of a readily apparent immune response. A evidence for both humoral and cellular immune responsiveness is quite strong, our studies have begun to examine whether qualitative defects in CD4 T-cell responses to viral antigens may help to explain why HCV is not eliminated in the vast majority of infections. Direct evidence that CD4 T cells play a role in HCV persistence is lacking, but several observations are consistent with this possibility. Importantly, it does not exclude the role of antibody or killer T cells in the immunopathogenesis of HCV infection. In addition, we discuss the consequences of viral mutation and how naturally occurring variants in immunodominant viral epitopes can effectively suppress helper T-cell responses to wild type virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2000
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