2006 - 2007
Analysis of the innate immune responses in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C following liver transplantation to develop a novel immunotherapy for the recurrent hepatitis C infection
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
- Grant number
- 18590723
- Japan Grant Number (JGN)
- JP18590723
- Grant amount
-
- (Total)
- 3,920,000 Japanese Yen
- (Direct funding)
- 3,500,000 Japanese Yen
- (Indirect funding)
- 420,000 Japanese Yen
- Grant type
- Competitive
(1) Natural killer (NK) cell subsets in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C following liver transplantation
Human NK cells can be divided into two subsets based on their cell-surface density of CD56 - CD56^(+bright) and CD56^(+dim) - each with distinct phenotypic properties. We investigated the NK cell subsets in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C following living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and the donors for LDLT were also investigated as controls. We revealed that the CD56^(+bright) subset was significantly decreased in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C than that in the patients with CHC and the normal donors. The expression of an activation marker CD69 on the CD56^(+dim) subset was significantly increased in the liver of LDLT. Our results suggest that further examination of the status of intrahepatic NK cell subsets might provide a new insight into the mechanism of rapid progression of recurrent hepatitis C infection.
(2) Gene expression profiles in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C following liver transplantation
We investigated the gene expression profiles in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C after LDLT using liver biopsy samples. However, we could not find any significant changes in the gene expression profiles among the recurrent hepatitis C patients and CHC patients yet.
(3) NK and NKT cells in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C before and after interferon plus ribavirin therapy
Previous studies have revealed that functional impairment of NK and NKT cells might be associated with the persistence of hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the involvement of these cells, which predominate in the liver, in therapeutic HCV clearance is still unclear. We found a close relationship between the significant increase of intrahepatic NK/NKT cells and sustained HCV clearance in CHC patients treated with interferon-a plus ribavirin therapy.
Human NK cells can be divided into two subsets based on their cell-surface density of CD56 - CD56^(+bright) and CD56^(+dim) - each with distinct phenotypic properties. We investigated the NK cell subsets in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C following living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and the donors for LDLT were also investigated as controls. We revealed that the CD56^(+bright) subset was significantly decreased in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C than that in the patients with CHC and the normal donors. The expression of an activation marker CD69 on the CD56^(+dim) subset was significantly increased in the liver of LDLT. Our results suggest that further examination of the status of intrahepatic NK cell subsets might provide a new insight into the mechanism of rapid progression of recurrent hepatitis C infection.
(2) Gene expression profiles in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C following liver transplantation
We investigated the gene expression profiles in the liver of patients with recurrent hepatitis C after LDLT using liver biopsy samples. However, we could not find any significant changes in the gene expression profiles among the recurrent hepatitis C patients and CHC patients yet.
(3) NK and NKT cells in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C before and after interferon plus ribavirin therapy
Previous studies have revealed that functional impairment of NK and NKT cells might be associated with the persistence of hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the involvement of these cells, which predominate in the liver, in therapeutic HCV clearance is still unclear. We found a close relationship between the significant increase of intrahepatic NK/NKT cells and sustained HCV clearance in CHC patients treated with interferon-a plus ribavirin therapy.
- Link information
- ID information
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- Grant number : 18590723
- Japan Grant Number (JGN) : JP18590723