Subpopulation composition of blood NK cells in patients with hepatitis C with genotype 1 or 3

Abstract

Introduction. Recently, there has been increased interest in the role of NK cells in viral hepatitis. An antifibrotic effect of these cells has been found, but the causes of their dysfunction leading to the development of liver fibrosis remain unclear.Aim. To study the subpopulation composition of blood NK cells by flow cytometry, depending on the severity of clinical and morphological manifestations of chronic viral hepatitis C (CVHC) with genotype 1 or 3.Materials and methods. Clinical, laboratory examinations, determination of liver fibrosis by elastometry using the METAVIR scale and study of the subpopulation composition of NK cells in the blood by flow cytometry (with definition of markers CD3, CD16 and CD56) were carried out in 143 patients with CVHC, including 74 patients with genotype 1 and 69 individuals with genotype 3, and in 20 people of the control group.Results. In patients with both CVHC genotypes 1 and 3, a significant decrease in the total content of NK cells, CD3-CD16+CD56bright and CD3-CD16+CD56dim subpopulations in the blood among individuals with liver fibrosis F3-F4 according to METAVIR was registered in comparison with patients with liver fibrosis F0-F1 according to METAVIR. In patients with CVHC genotype 3, there was a decrease in the total content of NK cells and a subpopulation of CD3-CD16+CD56dim in the blood of individuals with a high viral load compared to patients with a low viral load. This relationship was not determined in patients with CVHC genotype 1.Conclusion. The obtained regularities emphasize the significant role of NK cells in the pathogenesis of CVHC and verify the idea of using NK cells activation for immunotherapy of liver fibrosis in patients with CVHC.