Differential expression of perforin in T-cells during interferon therapy of acute hepatitis C

Introduction: The role of different T cell subsets for the pathogenesis of acute hepatitis C and their contribution to viral clearance during interferon therapy are not well understood. Perforin expression is not restricted to CD8+T cells. We have preliminary evidence that perforin can be also found in CD4+T cells of patients with chronic viral hepatitis and that there is a correlation of perforin-positive CD4+T cells with disease activity. The effect of interferon therapy on perforin expression of T cells is unknown. In this study we examined the effects of PEG-IFNa–2b therapy on perforin expression in differen…