Comparison of gene expression profiles of HCV-specific CD8 T cells from resolving patients and HCV-specific CD8 T cells chronic patients that target conserved or escaped epitopes.

T cell exhaustion is a well-defined process diminishing the efficacy of the CD8 response in persistent viremia. What is less understood is whether early differences in T cell regulation already predetermine the fate of the T cell response and infection outcome. Its dichotomous outcome that is unique among human viral infections makes hepatitis C virus infection uniquely suited to compare transcriptional regulation between HCV-specific CD8 T cells that do and do not achieve viral control.

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