Early changes in natural killer cell function indicate virologic response to interferon therapy for hepatitis C

Background & Aims: Mathematical modeling of hepatitis C virus (HCV) kinetics indicated that cellular immune responses contribute to interferon (IFN)-induced clearance of HCV. We investigated a potential role of natural killer (NK) cells in this process. Methods: Phenotype and function of blood and liver NK cells were studied during the first 12 weeks of treatment with pegylated IFN-alfa and ribavirin, the time period used to define the early virological response. Results: Within hours of treatment initiation, NK cells of patients that had an early virological response increased expression of activating receptors NKG2D, NKp30, and CD16 and decreased expression of NKG2C and 2B4, along with inhibitory receptors SIGLEC7 and NKG2A, resulting in NK cell activation. NK cell cytotoxicity, measured by degranulation and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand production, peaked after 24 hours (P <.01), concomitant with an increase in alanine aminotransferase levels (P <.05), whereas IFN-γ production decreased within 6 hours and did not recover for more than 4 weeks (P <.05). NK cells from liver biopsies taken 6 hours after treatment initiation had increased numbers of cytotoxic CD16 +NK cells (P <.05) and a trend toward increased production of tumor necrosis factorrelated apoptosis-inducing ligand. Degranulation of peripheral blood NK cells correlated with treatment-induced, first-phase decreases in viral load (P <.05) and remained higher in early virological responders than in nonresponders for weeks. Conclusions: IFN activates NK cells early after treatment is initiated. Their cytotoxic function, in particular, is strongly induced, which correlates to virologic response. Therefore, NK cell activation indicates responsiveness to IFN-αbased treatment and suggests the involvement of the innate immune cells in viral clearance

Natural killer cells are polarized toward cytotoxicity in chronic hepatitis C in an interferon-alfa-dependent manner

Background & Aims: Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection display great variability in disease activity and progression. Although virus-specific adaptive immune responses have been characterized extensively and found to be impaired in chronic hepatitis C, the role of innate immune responses in disease activity and progression of chronic hepatitis C is not well understood. Methods: We studied 42 HCV-infected patients and 12 healthy uninfected controls. Results: We found an increased frequency of natural killer (NK) cells expressing tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), NKp44, NKG2C, and CD122 in chronic hepatitis C as compared with healthy controls (P < .05 for all markers) and stronger activation of NK cells in the liver than in the blood (P < .05). This NK cell phenotype was associated with polarization of NK cell function toward CD107a expression as a marker of degranulation, but with not increased interferon (IFN)-γ production of CD56dim NK cells. The polarized NK cell phenotype correlated with alanine aminotransferase levels (r2 = 0.312, P = .03). To investigate whether in vivo exposure of NK cells to HCV-induced type I IFN was causing this NK cell phenotype, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 10 healthy controls and 8 HCV-infected patients were stimulated in the presence of IFN-alfa, which resulted in increased NK cell expression of TRAIL and CD107a (P < .001), but not IFN-γ. Conclusions: Collectively, these results describe a polarized NK cell phenotype induced by chronic exposure to HCV-induced IFN-alfa. This phenotype may contribute to liver injury through TRAIL expression and cytotoxicity, whereas the lacking increase in IFN-γ production may facilitate the inability to clear HCV

S-adenosyl methionine improves early viral responses and interferon-stimulated gene induction in hepatitis C nonresponders

Background & Aims: Less than half of patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) achieve sustained viral clearance after pegylated interferon (peginterferon) and ribavirin therapy. S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe) improves interferon signaling in cell culture. We assessed the effect of SAMe on the kinetics of the early antiviral response and interferon signaling in nonresponders to previous antiviral therapy and investigated the mechanisms involved. Methods: Nonresponders with HCV genotype 1 were given peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin for 2 weeks (course A, baseline/control). After 1 month, patients received SAMe (1600 mg daily) for 2 weeks and then peginterferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks (course B; completed by 21 of 24 patients). Viral kinetics and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were compared between courses. Results: The decrease in HCV RNA from 0 to 48 hours (phase 1) was similar with and without SAMe. However, the second phase slope of viral decline was improved with SAMe (course A, 0.11 ± 0.04 log IU/mL/wk; course B, 0.27 ± 0.06; P = .009); 11 patients (53%) achieved an early virological response, and 10 (48%) had undetectable HCV RNA by week 24. Induction of ISGs in PBMCs was significantly greater during course B. In cultured cells, SAMe increased induction of ISGs and the antiviral effects of interferon by increasing STAT1 methylation, possibly affecting STAT1-DNA binding. Conclusions: The addition of SAMe to peginterferon and ribavirin improves the early viral kinetics and increases ISG induction in nonresponders to previous therapy. SAMe might be a useful adjunct to peginterferon-based therapies in chronic HCV infection

Early Changes in Natural Killer Cell Function Indicate Virologic Response to Interferon Therapy for Hepatitis C

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mathematical modeling of hepatitis C virus (HCV) kinetics indicated that the cellular immune response contribute to interferon (IFN)-induced clearance of HCV. We investigated a potential role of natural killer (NK) cells in this process. METHODS: Phenotype and function of blood and liver NK cells were studied during the first 12 weeks of treatment with pegylated IFN-alfa and ribavirin, the time period used to define the early virological response. RESULTS: Within hours of treatment initiation, NK cells of patients that had an early virological response increased expression of the activating receptors NKG2D, NKp30, and CD16; they decreased expression of NKG2C and 2B4, along with the inhibitory receptors SIGLEC7 and NKG2A, resulting in NK cell activation. NK cell cytotoxicity, measured by degranulation and TRAIL production, peaked after 24 h (P<.01), concomitant with an increase in alanine aminotransferase levels (P<.05), whereas IFN-g production decreased within 6 h and did not recover for more than 4 weeks (P<.05). NK cells from liver biopsies taken 6 h after treatment initiation had increased numbers of cytotoxic CD16(+) NK cells (P<.05) and a trend towards increased production of TRAIL. Degranulation of peripheral blood NK cells correlated with the treatment-induced, first phase decreases in viral load (P<.05) and remained higher in early virological responders than in nonresponders for weeks. CONCLUSIONS: IFN activates NK cells early after treatment is initiated. Their cytotoxic function, in particular, is strongly induced, which correlates to the virologic response. Therefore, NK cell activation indicates responsiveness to IFN-g–based treatment and indicates the involvement of the innate immune cells in viral clearance

Effect of ribavirin on viral kinetics and liver gene expression in chronic hepatitis C

Objective: Ribavirin improves treatment response to pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN) in chronic hepatitis C but the mechanism remains controversial. We studied correlates of response and mechanism of action of ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C. Design: 70 treatment-naive patients were randomised to 4 weeks of ribavirin (1000–1200 mg/d) or none, followed by PEG-IFNα-2a and ribavirin at standard doses and durations. Patients were also randomised to a liver biopsy 24 h before or 6 h after starting PEG-IFN. Hepatic gene expression was assessed by microarray and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression quantified by nCounter platform. Temporal changes in ISG expression were assessed by qPCR in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and by serum levels of IP-10. Results: After 4 weeks of ribavirin monotherapy, hepatitis C virus (HCV) levels decreased by 0.5±0.5 log10 (p=0.009 vs controls) and ALT by 33% (p<0.001). Ribavirin pretreatment, while modestly augmenting ISG induction by PEG-IFN, did not modify the virological response to subsequent PEG-IFN and ribavirin treatment. However, biochemical, but not virological, response to ribavirin monotherapy predicted response to subsequent combination treatment (rapid virological response, 71% in biochemical responders vs 22% non-responders, p=0.01; early virological response, 100% vs 68%, p=0.03; sustained virological response 83% vs 41%, p=0.053). Ribavirin monotherapy lowered serum IP-10 levels but had no effect on ISG expression in PBMC. Conclusions: Ribavirin is a weak antiviral but its clinical effect seems to be mediated by a separate, indirect mechanism, which may act to reset IFN-responsiveness in HCV-infected liver

Effect of ribavirin on viral kinetics and liver gene expression in chronic hepatitis C

OBJECTIVE: Ribavirin improves treatment response to pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN) in chronic hepatitis C but the mechanism remains controversial. We studied correlates of response and mechanism of action of ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C. DESIGN: 70 treatment-naïve patients were randomized to 4 weeks of ribavirin (1000–1200 mg/d) or none, followed by PEG-IFN alfa-2a and ribavirin at standard doses and durations. Patients were also randomized to a liver biopsy 24 hours before, or 6 hours after starting PEG-IFN. Hepatic gene expression was assessed by microarray and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) expression quantified by nCounter platform. Temporal changes in ISG expression were assessed by qPCR in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and by serum levels of IP-10. RESULTS: After four weeks of ribavirin monotherapy, HCV levels decreased by 0.5±0.5 log(10) (p=0.009 vs. controls) and ALT by 33% (p<0.001). Ribavirin pretreatment, while modestly augmenting ISG induction by PEG-IFN, did not modify the virological response to subsequent PEG-IFN and ribavirin treatment. However, biochemical, but not virological response to ribavirin monotherapy predicted response to subsequent combination treatment (rapid virological response, 71% in biochemical responders vs. 22% non-responders, p=0.01; early virological response, 100% vs. 68%, p=0.03, sustained virological response 83% vs. 41%, p=0.053). Ribavirin monotherapy lowered serum IP-10 levels but had no effect on ISG expression in PBMC. CONCLUSION: Ribavirin is a weak antiviral but its clinical effect seems to be mediated by a separate, indirect mechanism, which may act to reset interferon-responsiveness in HCV-infected liver