Pathogenic Interaction between Natural Killer (NK) and T cells in chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染中自然杀伤 (NK) 和 T 细胞之间的致病相互作用

• 批准号: G0902009/1
• 负责人: Dimitra Peppa
• 金额: $ 31.15万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2010 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=G0902009%2F1
• 关键词: Pathogenic; Interaction; between; Natural; Killer

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) persistently infects more than 400 million people worldwide. Chronic (longterm) infection carries a risk of serious complications including severe liver disease and liver cancer and is responsible for more than 1 million deaths per year. The body combats the virus using a number of specialised cell types. The main cell type fighting the virus, called the T cell, is severely impaired in chronic infection. In this study we will be looking at the ability of another type of cell called Natural Killer (NK) cell, to kill the beneficial T cells. NK cells have already been shown to be able to cause liver damage in viral hepatitis and we have found increased numbers in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Malfunctioning NK cells may also attack healthy T cells, causing chronic disease instead of fighting it. The purpose of this study is to identify the possible NK cell-mediated death pathways leading to T cell ‘exhaustion‘. We will use blood and liver samples obtained during routine clinical care of patients infected with HBV following informed consent. Blocking these harmful death pathways will boost the immune system leading to improved viral control and prevention of chronic disease and liver damage.

B型肝炎病毒（HBV）持续感染全世界超过4亿人。慢性（长期）感染有可能导致严重并发症，包括严重肝病和肝癌，每年造成100多万人死亡。身体使用许多专门的细胞类型来对抗病毒。对抗病毒的主要细胞类型，称为T细胞，在慢性感染中严重受损。在这项研究中，我们将研究另一种称为自然杀伤（NK）细胞的细胞杀死有益T细胞的能力。NK细胞已经被证明能够在病毒性肝炎中引起肝损伤，我们发现慢性B型肝炎患者的NK细胞数量增加。功能障碍的NK细胞也可能攻击健康的T细胞，导致慢性疾病，而不是对抗它。本研究的目的是确定可能的NK细胞介导的死亡途径，导致T细胞的'枯竭'。我们将在知情同意后使用在HBV感染患者的常规临床护理期间获得的血液和肝脏样本。阻断这些有害的死亡途径将增强免疫系统，从而改善病毒控制和预防慢性疾病和肝损伤。