Expression of co-stimulatory molecules by Kupffer cells in chronic hepatitis of hepatitis C virus etiology
Expression of co-stimulatory molecules by Kupffer cells in chronic hepatitis of hepatitis C virus etiology
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DOI：
10.1002/hep.510270620
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发表时间：
1998-06-01
期刊：
影响因子：
13.5
通讯作者：
Levrero, M
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Burgio, VL;Ballardini, G;Levrero, M
In this paper we show that in viral hepatitis most Kupffer cells (KCs) are activated and express high levels of CD80, CD40, and class-II MHC molecules, thus acquiring the phenotype of professional antigen presenting cells (APCs). Activated KCs display a close contact with CD4+ T lymphocytes and form KCs-T lymphocyte clusters. Clusters are found within the sinusoids, across the sinusoid wall, and within the liver parenchima as well, as a consequence of transendothelial migration (TEM), The positivity of activated KCs for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigens, which likely reflects phagocytosis of infected hepatocytes, suggests that KCs-T cell clusters represent the morphological expression of the functional interaction between KCs acting as professional APCs and antigen-experienced CD4+ T lymphocytes within the liver. These phenotypic and morphological changes are distinct features of livers in chronic hepatitis patients compared with controls.
