[Antigen-specific IL-10 producing CD4[+], CD25[+] regulatory T cells in chronically infected HCV patients]

ABSTRACT

Background: the mechanism behind the apparent lack of effective antiviral immune response in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection is poorly understood. Although multiple levels of abnormalities have been identified in innate and adaptive immunity, it is postulated that production of specific cytokines such as IL-10 may contribute to the induction and maintenance of HCV persistence. Production of IL-10 by CD4[+], CD25[+], and IL-10 [+] regulatory T cells with regulatory capacity [Tregs] appears to be one of the viral mechanisms that alter the antiviral immune response. As the first report, that attempts to mimic physiological forces that can occur during HCV infection, in this study we evaluate the ability of HCV-core antigens in increasing the frequency of CD4[+],CD25[+],IL-10[+] regulatory T cells