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Khera T, Du Y, Todt D, Deterding K, Strunz B, Hardtke S, Aregay A, Port K, Hardtke-Wolenski M, Steinmann E, Björkström NK, Manns MP, Hengst J, Cornberg M, Wedemeyer H. Long-lasting Imprint in the Soluble Inflammatory Milieu despite Early Treatment of Acute Symptomatic Hepatitis C. J Infect Dis 2021; 226:441-452. [PMID: 33517457 PMCID: PMC9417126 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection leads to partial restoration of soluble inflammatory mediators (SIMs). In contrast, we hypothesized that early DAA treatment of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) with DAAs may normalize most SIMs. Methods In this study, we made use of a unique cohort of acute symptomatic hepatitis C patients who cleared HCV with a 6-week course of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir. Plasma samples were used for proximity extension assay measuring 92 proteins. Results Profound SIM alterations were observed in acute HCV patients, with marked upregulation of interleukin (IL)-6 and CXCL-10, whereas certain mediators were downregulated (eg, monocyte chemoattractant protein-4, IL-7). During treatment and follow-up, the majority of SIMs decreased but not all normalized (eg, CDCP1, IL-18). Of note, SIMs that were downregulated before DAA treatment remained suppressed, whereas others that were initially unchanged declined to lower values during treatment and follow-up (eg, CD244). Conclusions Acute hepatitis C was associated with marked changes in the soluble inflammatory milieu compared with both chronic hepatitis patients and healthy controls. Whereas early DAA treatment partly normalized this altered signature, long-lasting imprints of HCV remained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanvi Khera
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yanqin Du
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Daniel Todt
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,European Virus Bioinformatics Center (EVBC), Jena, Germany
| | - Katja Deterding
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Svenja Hardtke
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Amare Aregay
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kerstin Port
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthias Hardtke-Wolenski
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Eike Steinmann
- Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael P Manns
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Julia Hengst
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany
| | - Markus Cornberg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Braunschweig, Germany.,Center for individualized infection medicine (CIIM), Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, HepNet Study-House, German Liver Foundation, Hannover, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Braunschweig, Germany
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Wedemeyer H, Khera T, Strunz B, Björkström NK. Reversal of Immunity After Clearance of Chronic HCV Infection-All Reset? Front Immunol 2020; 11:571166. [PMID: 33133084 PMCID: PMC7578424 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.571166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic viral infections cause deterioration of our immune system. However, since persistent infections rarely can be eliminated, the reinvigoration capacity of an exhausted immune system has remained largely elusive. Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can since some years be effectively cured with novel direct acting antiviral agents. Thus, it is now possible to study reversal of immunity in patients that are cured from a long-lasting chronic infection. We here highlight recent developments in the analysis of various immune cell populations during and after clearance of HCV infection. Surprisingly, whereas reinvigoration of certain immune traits clearly can be seen, many features of immune exhaustion persist over time after viral elimination. Thus, a long-term chronic insult might result in irreversible damage to our immune system. This will be important to consider in therapeutic vaccination efforts against chronic infection and in the development of immunotherapy based strategies against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiner Wedemeyer
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Tanvi Khera
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Benedikt Strunz
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas K Björkström
- Center for Infectious Medicine, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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