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Ethanol Inhibition: The Humoral and Cellular Immune Response to Hepatitis C Virus NS5 Protein After Genetic Immunization

Ethanol Inhibition: The Humoral and Cellular Immune Response to Hepatitis C Virus NS5 Protein After Genetic Immunization

Authors :
Jens Encke
Jack R. Wands
Source :
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 24:1063-1067
Publication Year :
2000
Publisher :
Wiley, 2000.

Abstract

Background: The combination of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and ethanol may increase viral replication, impair cellular immunity, and result in severe and progressive liver disease. Because HCV nonstructural proteins play a major role in viral elimination, we examined the cellular and humoral immune responses after genetic immunization against NS5 in a chronic ethanol mouse model. Methods: Mice were fed an ethanol or isocaloric pair-fed control liquid diet and were immunized with HCV NS5-expression plasmid. Results: The humoral and cellular arms of the immune system were significantly impaired in ethanol-fed mice. Abstinence partially reversed the inhibitory effects on antibody levels and the CD4+ proliferative immune response but did not restore the CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell response to this HCV nonstructural protein. Furthermore, we determined whether murine interleukin-2 coadministration with the NS5 expression plasmid would reverse the inhibitory effects of chronic ethanol consumption; again, partial restoration was observed for B-cell and CD4+ T-cell activity, but not for cytotoxic T cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that the high rate of chronic HCV infection in alcoholics may be due to ethanol's effects on antiviral immune responses.

Details

ISSN :
15300277 and 01456008
Volume :
24
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........2edabcec36cf76adb43ca93324f54445
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.2000.tb04651.x