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NK Cells Prevalence, Subsets and Function in Viral Hepatitis C

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Archivum Immunologiae et Therapiae Experimentalis Aims and scope

Abstract

Innate immunity appears to play an important role in the pathogenesis of viral hepatitis C. Among various cell subsets of this immunity natural killer (NK) cells raised particular interest. These cells are abundant in liver, possess significant cytotoxic potential and show links with adaptive immunity. They play important role, particularly in the acute phase of viral infections, including hepatitis C. They exhibit various types of receptors, either inhibitory or activating, that are able to react with distinct ligands on infected cells. Homozygosity of some receptors, namely KIR2DL3 reacting with recipient HLA-C1 antigens is a herald of good prognosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In the early stage of the latter, both the prevalence and the cytotoxicity of NK cells are increased. Their inhibitory receptors are down regulated whereas activating ones are up regulated. Interferon-γ secreted by NK56+bright NK cells has a direct cytotoxic effect on infected hepatocytes. In contrast, in the chronic phase of HCV liver disease both, the prevalence and function of NK cells are impaired. Nevertheless, their cytotoxicity contributes to liver injury. Cells show change in the polarization profile from NK1 to NK2, manifested by secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines. Some HCV peptides are inhibitory for NK cells leading to the reduction of their antiviral activity. The unwanted effects of HCV peptides can be at least partly reversed by the antiviral therapy.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Grant no NN 401535740 from the Polish National Science Centre (to I. Mozer-Lisewska).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that none of them has any competing interests whatsoever.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair and Department of Clinical Immunology, University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 5D, 60-806, Poznan, Poland

    Jan Żeromski, Mariusz Kaczmarek & Jan Sikora

  2. Chair and Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    Iwona Mozer-Lisewska & Arleta Kowala-Piaskowska

Authors
  1. Jan Żeromski
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  2. Iwona Mozer-Lisewska
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  3. Mariusz Kaczmarek
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  4. Arleta Kowala-Piaskowska
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  5. Jan Sikora
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Correspondence to Jan Żeromski.

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Żeromski, J., Mozer-Lisewska, I., Kaczmarek, M. et al. NK Cells Prevalence, Subsets and Function in Viral Hepatitis C. Arch. Immunol. Ther. Exp. 59, 449–455 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00005-011-0145-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00005-011-0145-y

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