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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Mass Cytometry Analysis of Systemic and Local Immune Responses in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: April 25, 2025
Peripheral lymphocyte subsets vary with stage of hepatitis C virus-associated liver disease
Kiyoshi Morita1, Yoshihide Fukuda, Isao Nakano
1Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Background/Aims:
Hepatitis C virus induces various clinical features in a host depending on duration of the viral infection.
Methodology:
We investigated peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with three different stages of hepatitis C virus infection: 5 patients with acute hepatitis, 10 with chronic hepatitis unassociated with cirrhosis, and 10 with cirrhosis. Peripheral lymphocytes were double-stained with multiple fluorescent antibody combinations: anti-CD3 plus anti-gammasigmaT cell receptor; anti-CD19 plus anti-CD5; anti-CD4 plus anti-CD45RA; or anti-CD8 plus anti-CD11b. Triple staining was performed with fluorescent antibodies against CD4, interferon gamma, and interleukin-4. Both staining protocols were followed by flow cytometric analysis.
Results:
Acute hepatitis patients had a high proportion of CD3+ T cells with increased CD4+CD45RA-T helper and CD8+CD11b- cytotoxic T cells. Compared to this group, chronic hepatitis patients showed a decrease in CD4+ cells and an increase in CD19+ B cells and interleukin-4-producing Th2 cells. Cirrhotic patients showed decreased circulating lymphocytes and a low proportion of CD8+ cells accompanied by a decrease in cytotoxic T cells. Furthermore, their lymphocyte profiles showed decreases in primordial lymphocyte subpopulations (T cells with gammasigmaT cell receptors and B cells with CD5).
Conclusions:
Although the same pathogenic agent was involved, immune dynamics differed greatly according to duration of viral infection.
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