Project description:Little is known on the immune status in liver and blood of chronic HCV patients long after therapy-induced viral clearance. In this study, we demonstrate that 4 years after clearance, regulation of HCV-specific immunity in blood by regulatory T-cells (Treg) and the immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β is still ongoing. Importantly, sampling of the liver 4 years after clearance shows that intrahepatic Treg are still present in all patients, suggesting that liver T-cells remain regulated. Identifying mechanisms that regulate HCV-specific memory T-cell responses after clearance is highly relevant for the development of protective vaccines, especially in patients at high-risk of reinfection. A genome-wide gene expression analysis was performed on a blood cohort of 5 chronic HCV patients. For each patient, blood was collected at 4 years after ending of HCV therapy, and blood transcriptomes was compared to the paired transcriptomes at baseline and 24 weeks after ending HCV therapy (GSE59312).
Project description:Little is known on the immune status in liver and blood of chronic HCV patients long after therapy-induced viral clearance. In this study, we demonstrate that 4 years after clearance, regulation of HCV-specific immunity in blood by regulatory T-cells (Treg) and the immunosuppressive cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β is still ongoing. Importantly, sampling of the liver 4 years after clearance shows that intrahepatic Treg are still present in all patients, suggesting that liver T-cells remain regulated. Identifying mechanisms that regulate HCV-specific memory T-cell responses after clearance is highly relevant for the development of protective vaccines, especially in patients at high-risk of reinfection.
Project description:In the present study, we studied chronic HCV patients who responded to IFN-based therapy as evidenced by absence of HCV RNA at the end of treatment, and focused on two issues that have not received much attention. Firstly, we evaluated whether specific genes or gene expression patterns in blood were able to distinguish responder patients with a viral relapse from responder patients who remained virus-negative after cessation of treatment. We found that chronic HCV patients who were sustained responders and relapsers to IFN-based therapy showed comparable baseline clinical parameters and immune composition in blood. However, at baseline, the gene expression profiles of a set of 18 genes predicted treatment outcome with an accuracy of 94%. Secondly, we examined whether patients with successful therapy-induced clearance of HCV still exhibited gene expression patterns characteristic for HCV, or whether normalization of their transcriptome was observed. We observed that the relatively high expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) in chronic HCV patients prior to therapy was reduced after successful IFN-based antiviral therapy (at 24 weeks follow-up). These ISG included CXCL10, OAS1, IFI6, DDX60, TRIM5 and STAT1. In addition, 1428 differentially expressed non-ISG genes were identified in paired pre- and post-treatment samples from sustained responders, which included genes involved in TGF-β signaling, apoptosis, autophagy, and nucleic acid and protein metabolism. Interestingly, 1424 genes were identified with altered expression in responder patients after viral eradication in comparison to normal expression levels in healthy individuals. Additionally, aberrant expression of a subset of these genes, including IL-32, IL-16, CCND3 and RASSF1, was also observed at baseline. Our findings indicate that successful antiviral therapy of chronic HCV patients does not lead to normalization of their blood transcriptional signature. The altered transcriptional activity may reflect HCV-induced liver damage in previously infected individuals. A genome-wide gene expression analysis was performed on a blood cohort of 59 chronic HCV patients and 20 healthy controls. The expression profiles of patients who responded to IFN-based therapy, who developed a viral relapse were compared respectively to the profiles of healthy controls. Pre- and post-treatment expression profiles of same responders were compared as well.
Project description:In the present study, we studied chronic HCV patients who responded to IFN-based therapy as evidenced by absence of HCV RNA at the end of treatment, and focused on two issues that have not received much attention. Firstly, we evaluated whether specific genes or gene expression patterns in blood were able to distinguish responder patients with a viral relapse from responder patients who remained virus-negative after cessation of treatment. We found that chronic HCV patients who were sustained responders and relapsers to IFN-based therapy showed comparable baseline clinical parameters and immune composition in blood. However, at baseline, the gene expression profiles of a set of 18 genes predicted treatment outcome with an accuracy of 94%. Secondly, we examined whether patients with successful therapy-induced clearance of HCV still exhibited gene expression patterns characteristic for HCV, or whether normalization of their transcriptome was observed. We observed that the relatively high expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISG) in chronic HCV patients prior to therapy was reduced after successful IFN-based antiviral therapy (at 24 weeks follow-up). These ISG included CXCL10, OAS1, IFI6, DDX60, TRIM5 and STAT1. In addition, 1428 differentially expressed non-ISG genes were identified in paired pre- and post-treatment samples from sustained responders, which included genes involved in TGF-β signaling, apoptosis, autophagy, and nucleic acid and protein metabolism. Interestingly, 1424 genes were identified with altered expression in responder patients after viral eradication in comparison to normal expression levels in healthy individuals. Additionally, aberrant expression of a subset of these genes, including IL-32, IL-16, CCND3 and RASSF1, was also observed at baseline. Our findings indicate that successful antiviral therapy of chronic HCV patients does not lead to normalization of their blood transcriptional signature. The altered transcriptional activity may reflect HCV-induced liver damage in previously infected individuals.
Project description:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood-borne infection in the United States with the majority of patients becoming chronically infected and a subset (20%) progressing to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Individual variations in immune responses may help define successful resistance to infection with HCV. We have examined the immune response in primary macrophages from patients who have spontaneously cleared HCV (viral load negative, VL-, n = 37) compared to HCV genotype 1 chronically infected (VL+) subjects (n=32) and found that macrophages from VL- subjects have an elevated baseline expression of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3). Macrophages from HCV patients were stimulated ex vivo through the TLR3 pathway and assessed using gene expression arrays and pathway analysis. We found elevated TLR3 response genes and pathway activity from VL- subjects. Furthermore, macrophages from VL- subjects showed higher production of IFN-b and related IFN response genes by Q-PCR, and increased phosphorylation of STAT-1 by immunoblot. Analysis of polymorphisms in TLR3 revealed a significant association of intronic TLR3 polymorphism (rs13126816) with the clearance of HCV and the expression of TLR3. Of note, PBMCs from the same donors showed opposite changes in gene expression, suggesting ongoing inflammatory responses in PBMCs from VL+ HCV patients. Our results suggest that an elevated innate immune response enhances HCV clearance mechanisms and may offer a potential therapeutic approach to increase viral clearance. Differential gene expression by primary human macrophages and PBMCs from patients with spontaneous clearance of HCV (VL-) and patients with chronic HCV infection (VL+) were generated by microarray.
Project description:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronically infects 170 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of liver-related mortality due to hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis1. Standard-of-care treatment is shifting from interferon-alpha (IFNM-NM-1)-based to IFNM-NM-1-free directly acting antiviral (DAA) regimens, which demonstrate improved efficacy and tolerability in clinical trials2,3. Virologic relapse after completion of DAA therapy is a common cause of treatment failure, although mechanisms are unclear2,3. We conducted a clinical trial using the DAA sofosbuvir with ribavirin (SOF/RBV)4, and report here detailed mRNA expression analysis of pre- and end-of-treatment (EOT) liver biopsies and blood samples. On-treatment viral clearance was accompanied by rapid down-regulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in liver and blood. Analysis of paired liver biopsies from patients who achieved a sustained virologic response (SVR) revealed that viral clearance was accompanied by decreased expression of ISGs, IFNG, and IFNLs, but increased expression of IFNA2. Patients who achieved SVR had higher expression of a hepatic type-I interferon gene signature in unpaired EOT liver biopsies than patients who later relapsed. Together, these results support a model whereby restoration of type-I intrahepatic interferon signaling at the EOT is associated with sustained hepatic HCV suppression and prevention of relapse upon withdrawal of SOF/RBV. Sustained Virologic Response for Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Treated with Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin
Project description:Background and Aims: Viral clearance during acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with the induction of potent antiviral T-cell responses. Since dendritic cells (DC) are essential in the activation of primary T-cell responses our goal was to analyze gene expression in DC from patients during acute HCV infection. Methods: By using microarrays, gene expression was compared in resting and activated peripheral blood plasmacytoid (pDC) and myeloid (mDC) DC from acute HCV resolving patients (AR) and from those who become chronically infected (ANR), as well as in HCV chronically infected patients (CHR) and healthy seronegative individuals (CTRL). Results: For pDC, a high number of upregulated genes related to different functions and processes was found in AR patients, irrespective of DC stimulation. However, for mDC, most evident differences were detected after DC stimulation, again corresponding to upregulated genes in AR patients. Differences between AR and ANR were also observed when comparing their DC with those from CHR patients and CTRL individuals. Most differences corresponded to metabolism-associated genes, with upregulation in AR patients of genes belonging to pathways associated with DC activation and cytokine responses. Conclusion: Our results show that upregulation of relevant genes in DC during acute HCV infection may determine viral clearance, suggesting that dysfunctional DC may be responsible for the lack of efficient T-cell responses which lead to chronic HCV infection. Gene expression was compared in resting and activated peripheral blood plasmacytoid (pDC) and myeloid (mDC) DC from acute HCV resolving patients (AR) and from those who become chronically infected (ANR), as well as in HCV chronically infected patients (CHR) and healthy seronegative individuals (CTRL)
Project description:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood-borne infection in the United States with the majority of patients becoming chronically infected and a subset (20%) progressing to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Individual variations in immune responses may help define successful resistance to infection with HCV. We have examined the immune response in primary macrophages from patients who have spontaneously cleared HCV (viral load negative, VL-, n = 37) compared to HCV genotype 1 chronically infected (VL+) subjects (n=32) and found that macrophages from VL- subjects have an elevated baseline expression of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3). Macrophages from HCV patients were stimulated ex vivo through the TLR3 pathway and assessed using gene expression arrays and pathway analysis. We found elevated TLR3 response genes and pathway activity from VL- subjects. Furthermore, macrophages from VL- subjects showed higher production of IFN-b and related IFN response genes by Q-PCR, and increased phosphorylation of STAT-1 by immunoblot. Analysis of polymorphisms in TLR3 revealed a significant association of intronic TLR3 polymorphism (rs13126816) with the clearance of HCV and the expression of TLR3. Of note, PBMCs from the same donors showed opposite changes in gene expression, suggesting ongoing inflammatory responses in PBMCs from VL+ HCV patients. Our results suggest that an elevated innate immune response enhances HCV clearance mechanisms and may offer a potential therapeutic approach to increase viral clearance.
Project description:Although extensive studies have demonstrated the gene expression patterns of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells during chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the transcriptional profiles of global CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells remains unclear. In this report, we recruited 10 long-term (~20 years) treatment-naM-CM-/ve chronic HCV (CHC) patients and 5 healthy donors (HDs) to investigate differences in global CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells gene expression profile. Global CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells showed unique transcriptional profiles in the expression of apoptosis-related genes. We identified BCL2, PMAIP1, and CASP1 in CD4+ T-cells and IER3 and BCL2A1 in CD8+ T-cells from CHC patients as HCV-specific gene signatures. The unique apoptosis-related gene expression profilesin global CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells programmed by chronic HCV infection seemed to enhance activation-induced apoptosis, which was suffered by global CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. We obtained 15 blood samples to identify the gene expression signatures of global CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells due to chronic HCV infection. The samples included: 5 samples from high HCV viral load patients (HCV-h), 5 samples from low HCV viral load (HCV-l) and 5 samples from healthy donors (HD). HCV patients were all Ab+ and treatment-naive prior to the study. Samples were taken once from each individual. Global CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were enriched by microbeads, and total RNA were used in gene chip analysis.
Project description:A total of 117 HIV-1 infected patients were analyzed. These individuals were categorized in three different groups according to their infectious status for HCV: A) HIV+/HCV+ group, (n=45) patients with HIV infection and active HCV-chronic infection naïve to any HCV treatment (positive PCR and positive HCV antibodies); B) HIV+/HCV- group, (n=36) patients who had been exposed to HCV but experienced spontaneous viral clearance during the first 6 months after HCV infection (negative PCR and positive HCV antibodies); C) HIV+ group, (n=36) HIV+ mono-infected patients that had never been infected with HCV (negative PCR, negative HCV antibody and no previous HCV treatment). Briefely, peripheral venous blood samples were collected in EDTA tubes, and PBMCs were isolated within the first 4 hours after extraction.Total RNA including miRNAs were isolated from PBMCs with the miRNeasy Mini kit (Qiagen). Quality and integrity were evaluated by the Bioanalyzer 2100 with Agilent RNA 6000 Nano kit (Agilent). Only those samples with RIN > 7.5 were sequenced. Small RNA library synthesis and sequencing were performed at Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) at Barcelona (Spain). Small RNA libraries were constructed with Illumina’s TruSeq Small RNA kit v.4 (Illumina) and 50nts (1x50) were sequenced in an Illumina HiSeq2500, with a single read approach.