Evaluation of circulating CD4+CD25+CD127-/low regulatory T cells in newly diagnosed hepatitis C-infected patients

Objectives: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most global health problems with 2.5% prevalence worldwide. It seems that regulatory T (Treg) cells, which are able to modulate the host immune responses, play a substantial role in the immunopathogenesis of HCV infection. In this study, we evaluated the distribution of Treg cells in HCV-infected patients and its correlation with viral load and clinical manifestations. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from 14 newly diagnosed HCV-infected patients and 23 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects, and the frequency of CD4+CD25+CD127-/low Treg cells was determined by flow cytometry. Results: Our results showed that the mean level of CD4+CD25+CD127-/low Treg cells in HCV-infected patients was significantly higher than that in healthy control subjects (8.2 +/- 1.48% vs 5.4 +/- 0.36%, p < .05). However, there was no statistical correlation between Treg cells frequency and viral load or clinical manifestations. Conclusion: A higher proportion of Treg cells in HCV-infected patients might indicate their critical role in viral persistence and candidate them as a new target of immunotherapy to improve antiviral immunity.