Adaptive immune response during hepatitis C virus infection

Figure 4 FACS^® dot-plots and histograms of hepatitis C virus-specific CD8⁺ cells from hepatitis C virus patients with different viral control. Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-specific CD8⁺ cells were stained with Abs anti γ-IFN, anti-PD-1, anti-CD127, anti-Mcl-1, anti-Bim, anti-CD8 plus pentameric HLA-A2/NS3₁₄₀₆ peptide complexes. PD1, γ-IFN and CD127 was analyzed directly ex vivo. Antigen specific proliferation was assessed after blocking or not apoptosis. After expansion Bim and Mcl-1 expression was analyzed. HCV-specific CTLs controlling HCV infection expressed a CD127^high, PD-1^low, Mcl-1^high and Bim^low phenotype while CTLs not controlling HCV displayed the opposite phenotype. MFI: mean fluorescence intensity, Pent: Pe-HLA-A2/NS3₁₄₀₆ pentameric complexes. PBMC: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells. PD-1: Programmed cell death protein 1; IFN: Interferon; Bim: Bcl-2-interacting mediator; Mcl-1: Myeloid leukemia cell differentiation protein.