Immune response in the pathogenesis of CHC: T cell populations and cytokine milieu in liver and peripheral blood

RÍOS D; VALVA P; GIADANS C; VISTARINI C; DE MATTEO, E.; CASCIATO P; BRODERSEN C; PIETRANATONIO A; CALDIROLA MS; GAILLARD, I.; AMEIGEIRAS B; M V PRECIADO

Congreso; XXV Congreso de la Asociación Latinoamericana para el Estudio del Hígado (ALEH); 2018

Introduction: In Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) the immune system is involved in liver damage; but, the role of each immune cell is unknown. We aimed to evaluate T cell populations and cytokine milieu in liver and peripheral blood (PB) to elucidate the immune system role in CHC liver disease.Methods: Liver biopsies and concomitant PB samples from 48 untreated adult CHC patients were analyzed. CTL (CD8), Th (CD4), Th17 (IL17A/CD4-IL17A), Treg (Foxp3/CD4-CD25hi-Foxp3) and Th1 (Tbet/CD4-IFN) cell frequencies were evaluated by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed biopsies and by flow cytometry in PB. TGFβ, IFN, IL6, IL1β, IL8, IL10, IL23, IL21 levels were evaluated by RT-qPCR in fresh liver and by CBA in plasma. PB samples from uninfected donors were included. Results were related to hepatitis and fibrosis severity.Results: Liver infiltrates showed Th predominance, high Treg and Th1 but low Th17 frequency. Th17 cells and Th17/Treg ratio showed fibrosis association (both p=0.04). TGF (p