Peripheral Loss of CD8(+) CD161(++) TCRVα7·2(+) Mucosal-associated Invariant T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Virus-infected Patients

Background: Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells play an important role in innate host defence. MAIT cells appear to undergo exhaustion and are functionally weakened in chronic viral infections. However, their role in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains unclear.

Materials And Methods: We investigated the frequency of CD8(+) CD161(++) TCR Vα7.2(+) MAIT cells in a cross-sectional cohort of chronic HCV-infected patients (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 25). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were investigated for circulating MAIT cell frequency, liver-homing (CCR5 and CD103), biomarkers of immune exhaustion (PD-1, TIM-3 and CTLA-4), chronic immune activation (CD38 and HLA-DR), and immunosenescence (CD57) by flow cytometry.

Results: The frequency of MAIT cells was significantly decreased, and increased signs of immune exhaustion and chronic immune activation were clearly evident on MAIT cells of HCV-infected patients. Decrease of CCR5 on circulating MAIT cells is suggestive of their peripheral loss in chronic HCV-infected patients. MAIT cells also showed significantly increased levels of HLA-DR, CD38, PD-1, TIM-3 and CTLA-4, besides CD57 in chronic HCV disease.

Conclusions: Immune exhaustion and senescence of CD8(+) CD161(++) TCR Vα7.2(+) MAIT cells could contribute to diminished innate defence attributes likely facilitating viral persistence and HCV disease progression.