Hepatitis B Virus Replication Could Enhance Regulatory T Cell Activity by Producing Soluble Heat Shock Protein 60 From Hepatocytes

Abstract

The function of HBcAg-specific T(reg) cells was enhanced by sHSP60 produced from HBV-infected hepatocytes. Entecavir treatment suppressed the frequency and function of T(reg) cells; this might contribute to the persistence of HBV infection.

Differential Expression of CX3CL1 in Hepatitis B Virus-Replicating Hepatoma Cells Can Affect the Migration Activity of CX3CR1 + Immune Cells

“…At the least, the HBV replication in hepatocytes and hepatoma cells could induce CX3CL1 and affect the migration of CX3CR1 ϩ effector cells in humans. Previously, we reported that HBV replication induced a stress-related protein that could enhance the activity of regulatory T cells via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling (9). In this study, regulatory T cells did not express CX3CR1 and did not migrate into HBV-replicating hepatoma cells.…”

“…It has been shown that the innate immune system, including natural killer cells (NK cells), natural killer T cells (NK-T cells), and monocytes, and the intrahepatocyte immune reaction, in addition to the adaptive immune system, including cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), CD4 ϩ type 1 helper T cells (Th1 cells), CD4 ϩ CD25 ϩ FOXP3 ϩ regulatory T cells (Tregs), and dendritic cells (DCs), play an important role in the control of HBV (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Intrahepatocyte immune reactions can be induced by pattern recognition receptor families, including Toll-like receptors, retinoic acid-induced gene I-like receptors, and Nod-like receptors.…”

“…Among these various kinds of immune cells, NK cells, NK-T cells, and CTLs have a potent cytotoxic function that could control HBV-infected hepatocytes and hepatocellular carcinoma (3,6,17,18). However, many groups, including us, have reported that persistent infection with HBV can suppress the effector func-tion of NK cells, NK-T cells, and CTLs by various mechanisms (8,9,(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25). Natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) is one of the activating receptors on NK cells (26).…”

Virulence Factor Targeting of the Bacterial Pathogen Staphylococcus aureus for Vaccine and Therapeutics

“…In acute mice infection models including intracranial abscesses and necrotizing pneumonia, there is positive evidence that agr is important for the virulence [64–67]. In humans, there has been a link between persistent colonization in nosocomial infections with S. aureus and agr dysfunction [68–71]. Other studies have found no link between agr deficiency and poor clinical outcomes [72].…”

Significant biomarkers for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

“…In addition to serum cytokines, the frequency of specific immune subsets including myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells could be a useful biomarker for managing HCC [56,57]. In addition to HCC patients, chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C and NASH patients have distinct immune cell profiles [58][59][60][61][62][63]. Therefore, for HCC, we should also consider background liver diseases.…”