An increased number of circulating γ/δ TCR + T cells in patients with chronic viral hepatitis |
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Authors: | Vassiliki Nikolopoulou Athanasios Skoutelis Konstantinos Thomopoulos Bassam Salsaa Nicholas Zoumbos |
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Institution: | Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Patras, Box 1045, 26110 Patras, Greece |
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Abstract: | Abstract There is evidence that γ/δ TCR + T cells are specialized in recognizing different antigens, but their immunologic role as a second TCR is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the percentage and absolute numbers of circulating γ/δ TCR + T cells in patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) and to compare with HBsAg+, HCV healthy carriers and healthy subjects. Forty nine patients with CVH-24 with chronic active (CAH) and 25 with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH)-, 21 HBsAg+, 20 HCV asymptomatic carriers and 20 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Lymphocyte subsets were determined after incubation with monoclonal antibodies to T total (CD5) and T γ/δ cells (γ/δ-1) using immunofluorescence microscopy. An increased number of circulating γ/δ TCR + T cells was found in patients with CVH in comparison with asymptomatic carriers and normal controls: this increase was more profound in patients with CAH, compared to CPH patients. These results indicate a correlation between circulating γ/δ TCR + T cells in CVH patients and activity and chronicity of the disease. |
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Keywords: | Circulating γ/δ TCR+ T cell Chronic viral hepatitis |
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