Differential susceptibility of peripheral blood CD5 and CD5 B cells to apoptosis in chronic hepatitis C patients |
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Authors: | Toshiaki Mizuochi Masahiko Ito Kenji Takai |
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Affiliation: | a Department of Research on Blood and Biological Products, 4-7-1 Gakuen, Musashi-Murayama, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan b Cellular Immunology Section, Center for Medical Scientific Analysis, SRL, Inc., 51 Komiyacho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-8535, Japan |
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Abstract: | A body of evidence has suggested a close link between chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and B cell abnormalities, including mixed cryoglobulinemia, rheumatoid factor (RF) production, and lymphoproliferative disorders that may develop into non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Recent studies have demonstrated the expansion of CD5+ B cells in the peripheral blood of chronic hepatitis C patients (CHC). As CD5+ B cells, which are capable of producing autoantibodies and RF, are apparently crucial for the development of HCV-associated pathogenesis, the fate of both the CD5+ and CD5− B cell subsets upon chronic HCV infection is of interest. In this study, the degree to which chronic HCV infection induces apoptosis in each B cell subset was investigated. Our results demonstrated that peripheral CD5− B cells were more susceptible to apoptosis than CD5+ B cells in CHC. Furthermore, plasma levels of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12 were significantly elevated in CHC, thus suggesting that these interleukins protect CD5+ B cells from apoptosis. The rationale for the differential susceptibility of distinct B cell subsets in CHC is also discussed with regard to extrahepatic manifestations associated with chronic HCV infection. |
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Keywords: | B-NHL, non-Hodgkin&rsquo s B-lymphoma CHC, chronic hepatitis C patients HCV, hepatitis C virus MC, mixed cryoglobulinemia RF, rheumatoid factor |
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