Lack of Effect of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection on T-Cell Cytokine Production in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract

It has been shown that chronic hemodialysis modifies, to some extent, the normal immune response by both T and B lymphocytes elicited by antigenic stimulation, e.g. by impairing the T-cell-dependent response after vaccination. A new technique, i.e. flow cytometry, enables to assess intracytoplasmically, at the single cell level, the production of a given cytokine. By using it, we studied in healthy volunteers (HV) and in chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients, with respect to their hepatitis C virus (HCV) status, the production by the T lymphocytes of type 1, and type 2 cytokines. We studied the following cytokines (CK): IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ and TNF-α in the T-cell lymphocytes (whole, CD4+ and CD8+). There were 13 HV and 59 CHD patients (36 HCV(–) and 23 HCV(+)). Amongst the latter, there were 32 men and 27 women, aged 59.5 ± 2 years, undergoing CHD since 70 ± 9.4 months. We found that: (1) the total number of lymphocytes as well as those expressing CD3, CD4, or CD19 were significantly decreased in CHD patients as compared to those from HV; (2) the total number of lymphocytes as well as their different subsets were similar in HCV(+) and in HCV(–) CHD patients; (3) the frequency of T-cell-expressing IL-5 or IL-10 was always low (<1%) in both HV and CHD groups; (4) overall in CHD patients, the mean percentages of T lymphocytes expressing IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ or TNF-α were respectively 31 ± 13, 2.5 ± 1.3, 28 ± 12 and 34 ± 11% and were not statistically different between HCV(+) and HCV(–) patients; (5) IL-2 was mainly produced by CD4+ T cells, whereas IFN-γ was produced by CD8+ T cells, in both HV and CHD groups, and (6) the lymphocytes of CHD patients produced significantly more IL-2 and IL-4 than those from HV, suggesting an activation of their T lymphocytes. We conclude that using the cytokine flow cytometry assay, our study demonstrated that in HCV(+) CHD patients, as opposed to what has been described for HCV(+) patients with normal renal function, there was no impairment in the production of type 1 cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells when compared to HCV(–) CHD patients. Conversely to HV, T lymphocytes from CHD patients are activated.

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): AJN

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Am J Nephrol

Journal ID (doi): 10.1159/issn.0250-8095

Title: American Journal of Nephrology

Publisher: S. Karger AG

ISSN (Print): 0250-8095

ISSN (Electronic): 1421-9670

Publication date Subscription-year: 2001

Publication date (Print): June 2001

Publication date (Electronic): 25 June 2001

Volume: 21

Issue: 3

Pages: 194-199

Affiliations

^aNephrology, Hemodialysis and Multiorgan Transplant Unit and ^bLaboratory of Immunology, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France

Article

Publisher ID: 46247 Other ID: Am J Nephrol 2001;21:194–199

DOI: 10.1159/000046247

PubMed ID: 11423688

Copyright statement: © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

License:

Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug. Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.

Page count

Tables: 4, References: 30, Pages: 6

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Categories

Subject: Clinical Study