Regulatory T Cells and IL35 in Chronic Hepatitis C Related Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The Egyptian Journal of Immunology
Volume 28 (1), January, 2021
Pages: 46–52.
www.Ejimmunology.org
https://doi.org/10.55133/eji.280105
Esraa H Abd El-Ghani1, Noha A Afifi1, Maggie A Ibrahim1, Asmaa M Zahran2, Mohamed A El-Mokhtar1, Mohamed A Mekky3 and  Helal F Hetta1
1Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt.

2Department of Clinical pathology, South Egypt Cancer institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

3Department of Tropical medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Corresponding author: Maggie A Ibrahim, Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt.
Email: Maggie.abdallah@hotmail.com.

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a fundamental role in maintaining immune homeostasis to balance between the tissue-damaging and protective effects of the immune response. There are strong evidences that Treg cells and their cytokines may play an important role in the induction of tolerance in the liver and progression of HCV infection. Herein, we investigated the frequency of Treg cells and interleukin 35 (IL-35) level in blood and their potential relationship to the various chronic hepatitis C (CHC) complications and outcomes. A total of 36 HCV infected patients subdivided into, CHC complicated with cirrhosis (HCV LC; n = 18), CHC complicated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCV- HCC; n=18) and apparently healthy control group (n=18) were enrolled in this study. Treg cells percentages were determined by flow cytometric analysis and ELISA was used to measure IL35 serum levels. A significant increase in the frequency of peripheral Tregs and serum IL35 level was found in HCV HCC, and HCV LC groups compared with the control group. The frequency of peripheral Tregs and plasma (IL-35) levels were significantly positively correlated with viral load along with disease progression. We conclude that the higher percentage of Tregs and IL35 level in peripheral blood of HCV HCC and HCV LC groups compared to the control group may suggest their contribution to viral persistence and progression of HCV infection.

Keywords: Treg, IL35, HCV, Cirrhosis, HCC.

Date received: 23 January 2021; accepted: 22 April 2021

PMID: 34147053

 

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