The Function of HCV specific TGF-β-producing helper T cell in chronic hepatitis C patient

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1.Activation of latent TGF-βcomplex by synthetic peptidesTwo synthetic peptides (Peptide A : KRFKQDGGWSHWSPWSS ; Peptide B : KRFK) were revealed to have low potentiality of latent TGF-43 complex activation. It was elucidated that the two peptides could not be available for enzyme linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay of TGF-β.2.Constitutive TGF-β production in PBMCMajor component of constitutive TGF-β production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) which was non-specific for HCV was revealed to be monocyte fraction.3.Inhibition of TGF-βproduction in PBMC by HCV proteinPBMC were prepared from 13 chronic hepatitis C patients (CH(C)) and 4 healthy people. After 4 hour-incubation of PBMC in the medium with or without HCV core protein or NS3 protein, the PBMC were cultured for additional 16 hours without HCV protein, then the concentration of TGF-βin the supernatant of the cultured medium was estimated by enzyme immunoassay (EJA).The concentration of TGF-βin the cultured medium of PBMC from CH(C) patients was reduced by 59.2+7.0% by the existence of HCV core protein in the medium and that of PBMC from healthy people was reduced by 73.2+16.5%. The production of TOF.43 of PBMC from CH(C) patients was reduced by 53.7±8.3% by HCV NS3 protein) although that from healthy people was not significantly reduced by NS3 protein.The core and NS3 proteins of HCV reduce TGF-βproduction and secretion by PBMC. The mechanism remains to be unknown. It may play some role in the pathogenesis of HCV-induced chronic hepatitis.