Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2013; 19(43): 7711-7718
Published online Nov 21, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i43.7711
Dendritic cell co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory markers in chronic HCV: An Egyptian study
Hanan Fouad, Maissa Saeed El Raziky, Rasha Ahmed Abdel Aziz, Dina Sabry, Ghada Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Manal Ewais, Ahmed Reda Sayed
Hanan Fouad, Dina Sabry, Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, 11562 Cairo, Egypt
Maissa Saeed El Raziky, Rasha Ahmed Abdel Aziz, Gastroenterology and Tropical Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, 11562 Cairo, Egypt
Ghada Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Manal Ewais, Ahmed Reda Sayed, Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Beni Sueif University, 19206 Kornish Al Nile, Bani Sweif, Egypt
Author contributions: Abdel Aziz RA, Sabry D, Abdel Aziz GM, Ewais M and Sayed AR contributed to conception and design of the study, acquisition of data, conducting laboratory analytical work, drafting and editing of the article and final revision and approval of the completed article; and Fouad H and El Raziky MS contributed to analysis and interpretation of data, collection of human biological materials, drafting and editing of the article, revising the article for intellectual content and final revision and approval of the completed article.
Correspondence to: Hanan Fouad, Professor of Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, 11562 Cairo, Egypt. hanan.fouad@kasralainy.edu.eg
Telephone: +20-122-7474888 Fax: +20-2-23632297
Received: April 27, 2013
Revised: July 30, 2013
Accepted: August 4, 2013
Published online: November 21, 2013
Abstract

AIM: To assess co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory markers of dendritic cells (DCs) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected subjects with and without uremia.

METHODS: Three subject groups were included in the study: group 1 involved 50 control subjects, group 2 involved 50 patients with chronic HCV infection and group 3 involved 50 HCV uremic subjects undergoing hemodialysis. CD83, CD86 and CD40 as co-stimulatory markers and PD-L1 as a co-inhibitory marker were assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and hyaluronic acid (HA) levels were also assessed. All findings were correlated with disease activity, viral load and fibrogenesis.

RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in co-stimulatory markers; CD83, CD86 and CD40 in groups 2 and 3 vs the control group. Co-stimulatory markers were significantly higher in group 3 vs group 2. There was a significant elevation in PD-L1 in both HCV groups vs the control group. PD-L1 was significantly lower in group 3 vs group 2. There was a significant elevation in IL-10 and HA levels in groups 2 and 3, where IL-10 was higher in group 3 and HA was lower in group 3 vs group 2. HA level was significantly correlated with disease activity and fibrosis grade in group 2. IL-10 was significantly correlated with fibrosis grade in group 2. There were significant negative correlations between co-stimulatory markers and viral load in groups 2 and 3, except CD83 in dialysis patients. There was a significant positive correlation between PD-L1 and viral load in both HCV groups.

CONCLUSION: A significant decrease in DC co-stimulatory markers and a significant increase in a DC co-inhibitory marker were observed in HCV subjects and to a lesser extent in dialysis patients.

Keywords: Hepatitis C virus, Uremia, Hemodialysis, Dendritic cells, CD83, CD86, CD40, PD-L1, Interleukin-10, Hyaluronic acid

Core tip: An assessment of the gene expression of co-stimulatory and a co-inhibitory marker (CD83, CD86, CD40, PD-L1) was conducted in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and their correlations with viral load, hepatitis activity score and fibrosis grade were determined. There was a significant decrease in dendritic cell (DC) co-stimulatory markers in HCV infected subjects, where HCV uremic subjects exhibited a lower degree of reduced co-stimulatory markers. There was a significant increase in the DC co-inhibitory marker in HCV infected subjects, where HCV uremic subjects exhibited a lower degree of increased co-inhibitory marker. All DC markers were significantly correlated with HCV viral load, hepatitis activity index and fibrosis score.