TY - JOUR
T1 - Prospective study of natural killer cell phenotype in recurrent hepatitis C virus infection following liver transplantation
AU - Varchetta, Stefania
AU - Oliviero, Barbara
AU - Francesca Donato, M.
AU - Agnelli, Francesca
AU - Rigamonti, Cristina
AU - Paudice, Enrica
AU - Arosio, Eliana
AU - Berra, Mauro
AU - Rossi, Giorgio
AU - Tinelli, Carmine
AU - Fagnoni, Francesco F.
AU - Colombo, Massimo
AU - Mavilio, Domenico
AU - Mondelli, Mario U.
PY - 2009/2
Y1 - 2009/2
N2 - Background/Aims: Graft re-infection invariably occurs after liver transplantation (OLT) for chronic hepatitis C and disease progression is unpredictable. We prospectively examined peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) subsets and natural killer (NK) cell receptors (NKRs) in patients with recurrent hepatitis C post-OLT. Methods: PBMC were obtained at baseline and at different time points after OLT. NKRs were identified using monoclonal antibodies by flow cytometry. Results: The proportions of NK, natural T (NT), total and γδ T cells were significantly reduced (p <0.01) 7 days post-transplant, probably as a result of graft repopulation. NKG2D+ NK cells were significantly higher compared with healthy controls (p <0.01), declined post-OLT and subsequently returned to baseline values. This, together with a progressive increase in the proportion of CD94/NKG2C+ NK cells over time (p ≤ 0.01), appeared to be related to hepatitis C recurrence. There was a statistically significant correlation between expression of the natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) and ALT (p <0.05), supporting the hypothesis that NK cells participate in the necroinflammatory process. Conclusions: The data are compatible with homing of immune cells to the liver allograft after surgery, most of which return to pre-OLT levels. HCV recurrence may cause variations in selected NKRs expression akin to other viral infections.
AB - Background/Aims: Graft re-infection invariably occurs after liver transplantation (OLT) for chronic hepatitis C and disease progression is unpredictable. We prospectively examined peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) subsets and natural killer (NK) cell receptors (NKRs) in patients with recurrent hepatitis C post-OLT. Methods: PBMC were obtained at baseline and at different time points after OLT. NKRs were identified using monoclonal antibodies by flow cytometry. Results: The proportions of NK, natural T (NT), total and γδ T cells were significantly reduced (p <0.01) 7 days post-transplant, probably as a result of graft repopulation. NKG2D+ NK cells were significantly higher compared with healthy controls (p <0.01), declined post-OLT and subsequently returned to baseline values. This, together with a progressive increase in the proportion of CD94/NKG2C+ NK cells over time (p ≤ 0.01), appeared to be related to hepatitis C recurrence. There was a statistically significant correlation between expression of the natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) and ALT (p <0.05), supporting the hypothesis that NK cells participate in the necroinflammatory process. Conclusions: The data are compatible with homing of immune cells to the liver allograft after surgery, most of which return to pre-OLT levels. HCV recurrence may cause variations in selected NKRs expression akin to other viral infections.
KW - Innate immunity
KW - Liver transplantation
KW - Natural killer cells
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jhep.2008.10.018
DO - 10.1016/j.jhep.2008.10.018
M3 - Article
C2 - 19070924
AN - SCOPUS:58149295512
VL - 50
SP - 314
EP - 322
JO - Journal of Hepatology
JF - Journal of Hepatology
SN - 0168-8278
IS - 2
ER -