KIR2DL3+ NKG2A- Natural Killer Cells Protect People who Inject Drugs against Productive Hepatitis C Virus Infection
C Thoens, C Berger, M Trippler, H Siemann, M Lutterbeck, R Broering, JF Schlaak, FM Heinemann, A Heinold, J Nattermann, N Scherbaum, G Alter, J Timm · Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie · 2014 · Heft 01
Bibliografische Angaben
Zusammenfassung
Despite continuous high-risk behavior, a subgroup among people who inject drugs (PWID) remains seronegative for hepatitis C virus (HCV) suggesting that a state of “natural resistance” to HCV infection may exist. Homozygosity for KIR2DL3 and its ligand HLA-C1 group alleles has been associated with control of HCV infection, however, the mechanism mediating this protective effect remained unclear. In this study we aimed to address the role of NK cells in HCV seronegative PWID at high risk for infection. HCV seronegative PWID had increased levels of KIR2DL3+NKG2A- NK cells compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001) an…
