Interferon-gamma response by peripheral blood mononuclear cells to hepatitis C virus core antigen is reduced in patients with liver fibrosis.

Watson, Mark W; Jaksic, Aleksandra; Price, Patricia; Cheng, Wendy; McInerney, Marian; French, Martyn A; Fisher, Scott; Lee, Silvia et al. · J Infect Dis · 2003

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Abstract

Liver fibrosis was correlated with immunological parameters. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with low fibrosis scores had more [corrected] interferon (IFN)-gamma-producing cells than did patients with higher fibrosis scores, when stimulated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen. Irrespective of liver fibrosis score, cells from all cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seropositive patients had similar IFN-gamma responses, when stimulated by CMV antigen, so patients with fibrosis did not have a broad-spectrum immunodeficiency. IFN-gamma response by PBMCs to HCV core antigen may provide a useful marker of the severity of liver disease in patients with hepatitis C.

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