Abstract:

Objective To investigate changes in characteristics of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ follicular helper T lymphocytes (TFH cells) in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its correlation with the disease characteristics. Methods Twenty-three patients with HCV infection and 20 healthy controls were enrolled and 4 patients received a pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin combination treatment. The changes in the proportion of peripheral blood CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ TFH cells were assessed by flow cytometry. Results The percentage of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ TFH cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was 5.845% (2.680%-14.200%) for patients with chronic HCV infection and 3.765% (1.200%-8.520%) for healthy controls (u=124.5, P=0.010 6). The proportion of TFH cells in CD4⁺T cells was 14.800% (8.440%-36.600%) for patients and 9.550% (2.700%-21.800%) for healthy controls (u=132.0, P=0.017 6). The proportion of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ TFH cells were negatively correlated to HCV RNA load (r=-0.432 8, P=0.039 1) and showed no correlation with serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase or glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels. The anti-HCV therapy decreased the proportion of CD4⁺CXCR5⁺ TFH cells in HCV-infected patients. Conclusion CD4⁺CXCR5⁺TFH cells may participate in the anti-viral immune response in the process of chronical infection with HCV.

Key words: hepatitis C virus, follicular helper T lymphocytes, HCV RNA, alanine aminotransferase