Cytokine profiles in high risk injection drug users suggests innate as opposed to adaptive immunity in apparent resistance to hepatitis C virus infection

A cohort of injection drug users (IDU) have been identified who despite a long history of IDU and sharing of injecting equipment remain seronegative and aviraemic for hepatitis C virus (HCV). They have been termed HCV exposed uninfected (EU). The study of potential innate or adaptive immune mechanis...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of viral hepatitis 2012-07, Vol.19 (7), p.501-508
Main Authors: Warshow, U. M., Riva, A., Hegazy, D., Thurairajah, P. H., Kaminski, E.R., Chokshi, S., Cramp, M. E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
chemokines
Cohort Studies
cytokines
Cytokines - blood
Disease Resistance
exposed uninfecteds
Female
Hepatitis C - immunology
Hepatitis C - prevention & control
hepatitis C virus
Humans
injection drug users
interleukins
Male
Needle Sharing
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - complications
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - immunology
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Summary:A cohort of injection drug users (IDU) have been identified who despite a long history of IDU and sharing of injecting equipment remain seronegative and aviraemic for hepatitis C virus (HCV). They have been termed HCV exposed uninfected (EU). The study of potential innate or adaptive immune mechanisms of resistance to HCV infection in this group is of interest. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of a broad range of cytokines in serum of exposed, uninfected individuals to ascertain whether there is a specific cytokine profile associated with apparent resistance to HCV. Sera from 22 EU individuals were analysed for a range of cytokines and chemokines, and compared to 16 treatment‐naive chronic HCV cases (HCV Ab+ RNA+), 16 individuals with spontaneous resolution of HCV (HCV‐Ab+ and HCV‐RNA−) and 10 healthy unexposed controls. EU subjects had strikingly higher levels of both IL‐6 (on average more than 100‐fold, P = 0.001) and IL‐8 (on average more than 10‐fold, P 
ISSN:1352-0504
1365-2893
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2893.2011.01574.x