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

1.合成肽对潜在TGF-β复合物的激活两种合成肽（肽A：KRFKQDGGWSHWSPWSS ;肽B：KRFK）对潜在TGF-β复合物的激活潜力较低。2.外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）组成型TGF-β产生的主要成分是单核细胞部分，对HCV是非特异性的; 3. HCV蛋白对PBMC产生TGF-β的抑制作用）和4名健康人。PBMC在含有或不含HCV核心蛋白或NS 3蛋白的培养基中孵育4小时后，将PBMC在不含HCV蛋白的情况下再培养16小时，用酶免疫分析法（EJA）测定培养上清中TGF-β的含量，结果表明，CH（C）患者PBMC培养上清中TGF-β的含量降低了59.2 ± 7.0% HCV核心蛋白的存在使人外周血单个核细胞（PBMC）的HCV感染率降低了73.2 ± 16.5%。HCVNS 3蛋白对正常人PBMC产生TGF-β的能力无明显影响，但对CH（C）患者PBMC产生TOF.43的能力降低了53.7±8.3%。其机制尚不清楚。它可能在HCV所致慢性肝炎的发病机制中起一定作用。

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.