Blood transcriptomes of chronic HCV patients four years after therapy-induced viral clearance

Little is known on the immune status in liver and blood of chronic HCV patients long after therapy-induced viral clearance. In this study, we demonstrate that 4 years after clearance, regulation of HCV-specific immunity in blood by regulatory T-cells (Treg) and the immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and TGF- is still ongoing. Importantly, sampling of the liver 4 years after clearance shows that intrahepatic Treg are still present in all patients, suggesting that liver T-cells remain regulated. Identifying mechanisms that regulate HCV-specific memory T-cell responses after clearance is highly relevant for the development of protective vaccines, especially in patients at high-risk of reinfection.

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Spaan M, Claassen MA, Hou J, Janssen HL, de Knegt RJ, Boonstra A