Hepatic and Peripheral T-Lymphocyte Patterns in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Infection: What Correlation with Histological Activity?

The immunopathological processes involved in hepatic damage during chronic hepatitis C infection are not fully understood. Several works suggest the role of T helper 1 (Th1) immune response in both injury and fibrinogenesis. In this study, we have analyzed peripheral and intrahepatic T-lymphocyte subsets in liver biopsy specimens of 13 patients with definite chronic hepatitis C (CHC) to explore the possible direct role of these patterns in the evolution of necrotic inflammation and fibrogenesis scored according to the Knodell histological activity index. In particular, we have studied CD4+/CD7+ T-lymphocytes, as phenotypic marker of Th1-like immune response, CD4+/CD7- as Th2-like marker, and CD8+/CD38 as activated CD8+ lymphocytes. On statistical analyses we found a significant negative correlation in liver between CD8+/CD38+ T-cells grading ( r =-.607; p <0.05) and staging index ( r =-0.650; p >0.05) and between CD4+/CD7+ and grading ( r =-0.626; p <0.05) index. In addition, we found a positive strong correlation among CD38+/CD8+ and CD4+/CD7+ T cells ( r = 0.783; p <0.05) in liver tissue and between peripheral and liver resident CD8+/CD38+ ( r = 683; p<0.05). Moreover, the hepatic CD4+/CD7+ T-cells showed a positive correlation with peripheral CD8+/CD38+ T-cells ( r =.676; p <0.05). A strong positive correlation was also observed between grading and staging index ( r = 0.921; p <0.01). We found no statistical correlation among the above variables and CD4+/CD7-T cells. Our data could suggest that a preferential hepatic CD4+/CD7+ or CD8+/CD38+ T cell subset was not directly associated with hepatic damage but, on the contrary, it could have been able to block liver injury. Concerning the peripheral subsets, the only CD8+/CD38+ T-cells result reflect the CTL activity in the liver tissue. Further studies are required to better understand the possible correlation between peripheral and liver resident T-helper, subset and other hepatic resident immunocompetent cells.