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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
13:04
A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Published on: June 26, 2014
Cell culture-produced hepatitis C virus impairs plasmacytoid dendritic cell function
Masaaki Shiina1, Barbara Rehermann
1Immunology Section, Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.)
|December 8, 2007
Summary
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) directly impairs plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs) but not myeloid DCs, inhibiting their function without requiring infection. Influenza A virus restored DC function, indicating specific viral interactions.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Dendritic cells (DCs) play a crucial role in immune responses.
- Functional impairment of DCs has been observed in chronic hepatitis C patients.
- The direct impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) on DCs requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the direct effects of infectious Hepatitis C Virus (HCVcc) on dendritic cells (DCs).
- To determine if HCVcc interaction with DCs leads to functional impairment.
- To differentiate the effects of HCVcc on plasmacytoid DCs versus myeloid DCs.
Main Methods:
- Studied the effects of infectious and inactivated HCVcc on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and isolated DCs from healthy donors.
- Assessed the impact of HCVcc on Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated cytokine production (IFN-alpha, IL-12, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha).
- Evaluated the effect of HCVcc on DC maturation, T cell proliferation, and phagocytosis of infected cells.
Main Results:
- HCVcc inhibited TLR9-mediated IFN-alpha production by PBMCs and plasmacytoid DCs, irrespective of infectivity.
- HCVcc did not inhibit TLR3 or TLR4-mediated maturation or cytokine production in myeloid and monocyte-derived DCs.
- HCVcc did not affect the capacity of myeloid and monocyte-derived DCs to induce CD4 T cell proliferation.
Conclusions:
- HCVcc directly inhibits plasmacytoid DCs without requiring infection.
- Myeloid-derived and monocytoid-derived DCs are not inhibited by HCVcc.
- Plasmacytoid DC responses to influenza A virus were not impaired by HCVcc.
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