ISSN 2756-3375
African Journal of Immunology Research ISSN 2756-3375 Vol. 11 (2), pp. 001-009, February, 2023. © International ScholarsJournals
Full Length Research Paper
Reduced IL-17A producing lymphocytes in chronic hepatitis C individuals treated with Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir at CHU Campus of Lomé, Togo
Maléwé KOLOU1,2, Gnatoulma KATAWA3, Christèle NGUEPOU TCHOPBA3, Tégmaba GNODJA4, Marthe Oukoé AMESSOUDJI3, Pélagie Edlom TCHADIE3, Roland KOGOE4, Aklesso BAGNY4
1Laboratoire de Biochimie / Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sylvanus Olympio- Lomé, Togo.
2Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire et Immunologie (BIOLIM) / Faculté des Sciences de la Santé (FSS)- Université de Lomé, Togo.
3Unité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immuno-modulation (UR2IM) /Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Contrôle Qualité des Denrées Alimentaires (LAMICODA)/Ecole Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA)-Université de Lomé, Togo.
4Service d’hépato-gastro-entérologie / Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Campus, Lomé-Togo.
Accepted 22 January, 2023
Abstract
Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy is known to clear efficiently hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Inflammatory Th17 cells are increased in the blood and liver of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and may be involved in the pathogenesis of CHC. Thus, the effect of DAAs on Th17 cells remains to be investigated. The present study was conducted in order to investigate immune response in former HCV positive individuals treated with Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir. CD4+ T cells from former HCV-infected subjects treated with Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir and treatment-naïve chronic HCV-infected subjects were characterized by flow cytometry. Then, their functionality was assessed upon TCR activation in a cell culture system. Cytokines from plasma and cell culture supernatants were measured by ELISA sandwich method. We observed significantly reduced level of IL-17A-producing lymphocytes among Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir treated individuals. In contrast, IL-17A level was significantly increased in treated compared to untreated group, upon TCR activation, as well as that of IFNg and IL-5. Furthermore, reduced CD4+IL-17A+cells, CD4+RORgt+IL-17A+cells and IL-17A were observed among treated individuals. This study provides that Sofosbuvir/Velpastasvir therapy reduced the Th17 inflammatory response responsible for the pathogenesis of HCV. IL-17A appears as a biomarker to control the efficacy of HCV treatment.
Keywords: Hepatitis C Virus, chronic hepatitis C, direct-acting antiviral, Sofosbuvir, Velpatasvir.