Canola
            oilseed‐ and
            Escherichia coli‐
            derived hepatitis C virus (HCV) core proteins adjuvanted with oil bodies, induced robust Th1‐oriented immune responses in immunized mice

ABSTRACT In this study, the effects of wild-type and deletion mutant hepatitis C virus (HCV) core proteins on the induction of immune responses in BALB/c mice were assessed. p2HA-C145-S23, encoding a core protein with the C-terminal 46 amino acids truncated, significantly produced stronger antibody and cellular responses than p2HA-C191-S23. The induction of immune responses by p2HA-C145-S23 was dose dependent. However, increasing the doses or repeated administration did not enhance immune responses by the wild-type core protein. In addition, p2HA-C191-S23 was apparently able to interfere with the priming of specific immune responses by p2HA-C145-S23 when the two were coadministered. These results demonstrated that the wild-type HCV core protein itself could inhibit the priming of immune responses in the course of a DNA vaccination, whereas the truncated HCV core protein could provide potential applications for the development of DNA- and peptide-based HCV vaccines.

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Immunological evaluation of Escherichia coli -derived hepatitis C virus second envelope protein (E2) variants

Journal of Peptide Research ◽

10.1034/j.1399-3011.2001.00795.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 58 (3) ◽

pp. 221-228 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

S. Dueñas-Carrera ◽

A. Viña ◽

H.E. Garay ◽

O. Reyes ◽

L. Alvarez-Lajonchere ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Envelope Protein ◽

Immunological Evaluation

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Enhanced immune responses, PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT signaling pathways following hepatitis C virus eradication by direct-acting antiviral therapy among Egyptian patients: a case control study

Pathogens and Disease ◽

10.1093/femspd/ftab008 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Haidi Karam-Allah Ramadan ◽

Gamal Badr ◽

Nancy K Ramadan ◽

Aml Sayed

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Liver Cirrhosis ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Immune Responses ◽

Signaling Pathways ◽

Liver Diseases ◽

Stat Signaling ◽

Chronic Hcv ◽

Direct Acting

Abstract The use of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) therapy for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) results in a high sustained virological response (SVR) and subsequently alters liver immunologic environment. However, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may occur after DAAs treatment. We aimed to clarify changes of immune responses, PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT signaling pathways in HCV-induced liver diseases and HCC following DAAs treatment. Four cohorts are classified as chronic HCV patients, HCV-related cirrhosis without HCC, HCV-related cirrhosis and HCC, and healthy control group. The patient groups were further divided into treated or untreated with DAAs with SVR12. Increased percentages of CD3, CD8 and CD4, decreased CD4/FoxP3/CD25, CD8/PD-1 and CD19/PDL-1 were found in DAAs-treated patients in the three HCV groups. Following DAAs therapy, the levels of ROS, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α were significantly decreased in the three HCV groups. Treated HCV patients showed up regulation of p-AKT and p-STAT5 and down regulation of p-STAT3, HIF-1α and COX-2. In conclusion, DAAs enhance the immune response in chronic HCV and liver cirrhosis, hence our study is the first to show change in PI3K/AKT and JAK/STAT signaling pathways in different HCV-induced liver diseases after DAAs. In chronic HCV, DAAs have better impact on the immune response while in liver cirrhosis not all immune changes were prominent.

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Multiple Fixed Drug Eruption Mimicking Parapsoriasis en Plaque in a Patient with Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Case Reports in Dermatology ◽

10.1159/000505477 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 25-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michie Katsuta ◽

Akihiko Asahina ◽

Tetsuo Shiohara

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Immune Responses ◽

Drug Eruption ◽

Hcv Rna ◽

Fixed Drug Eruption ◽

Cutaneous Manifestations ◽

Fixed Drug ◽

Per Se ◽

Multiple Drugs

Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is often associated with extrahepatic cutaneous manifestations such as lichen planus, it is unclear whether HCV per se or HCV-specific immune responses play a pathophysiological role in the development of HCV-related cutaneous diseases. We recently treated a patient who developed parapsoriasis en plaque-like lesions after ingestion of various drugs. She showed hypersensitivity to multiple drugs after interferon therapy. Her clinical course was complicated by flares of parapsoriasis-like lesions which returned at precisely the same sites. The flares had begun within hours of ingesting nicardipine hydrochloride, amlodipine besilate, candesartan cilexetil and atenolol for the first time despite showing a low level of HCV RNA. Interestingly, the flares gradually subsided during continued treatment with these drugs while her HCV RNA level paradoxically increased: thus, there was an inverse correlation between flares and HCV RNA level. The eruptions were eventually diagnosed as fixed drug eruption, although the clinical manifestations mimicked parapsoriasis en plaque. Our results suggest that multiple drug hypersensitivity could be induced by antiviral immune responses that are cross-reactive to multiple drugs, but not by HCV per se.

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Hepatitis C Virus Sequences Encoding Truncated Core Proteins Detected in a Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications ◽

10.1006/bbrc.1996.0340 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 219 (3) ◽

pp. 911-915 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Brigitte Rüster ◽

Stefan Zeuzem ◽

W.Kurt Roth

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Core Proteins

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Hepatitis C Virus Induces Toll-Like Receptor 4 Expression, Leading to Enhanced Production of Beta Interferon and Interleukin-6

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.80.2.866-874.2006 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 80 (2) ◽

pp. 866-874 ◽

Cited By ~ 131

Author(s):

Keigo Machida ◽

Kevin T. H. Cheng ◽

Vicky M.-H. Sung ◽

Alexandra M. Levine ◽

Steven Foung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

B Cells ◽

Immune Responses ◽

Interleukin 6 ◽

Innate Immune ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

Innate Immune Responses ◽

Altered Expression ◽

Beta Interferon

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) induces inflammatory signals, leading to hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinomas, and lymphomas. The mechanism of HCV involvement in the host's innate immune responses has not been well characterized. In this study, we analyzed expression and regulation of the entire panel of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in human B cells following HCV infection in vitro. Among all of the TLRs (TLRs 1 to 10) examined, only TLR4 showed an altered expression (a three- to sevenfold up-regulation) after HCV infection. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HCV-infected individuals also showed a higher expression level of TLR4 compared with those of healthy individuals. HCV infection significantly increased beta interferon (IFN-β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion from B cells, particularly after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. The increased IFN-β and IL-6 production was mediated by TLR4 induction, since the introduction of the small interfering RNA against TLR4 specifically inhibited the HCV-induced cytokine production. Among all of the viral proteins, only NS5A caused TLR4 induction in hepatocytes and B cells. NS5A specifically activated the promoter of the TLR4 gene in both hepatocytes and B cells. In conclusion, HCV infection directly induces TLR4 expression and thereby activates B cells, which may contribute to the host's innate immune responses.

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