Dynamic Changes of the Frequency of Classic and Inflammatory Monocytes Subsets and Natural Killer Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Treated by Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents

Abstract EN

Objective.

Up to now, little was known about the immunological changes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients treated with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs); we try to explore the effect of DAAs on the frequency of monocytes, NK cells, and cytokines that promote their activation.

Methods.

15 treatment-naive CHC patients and 10 healthy controls were recruited.

Patients were examined before DAAs therapy (0 w) and at week 4 (4 w) and week 12 (12 w) of therapy.

Percentage of monocytes and NK cells of the peripheral blood was analyzed by flow cytometry.

Serum cytokines IL-12, IL-18, CXCL10, CXCL11, sCD14, and sCD163 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

Results.

The frequency of CD3–CD16+CD56+ NK cells and classic CD14++CD16− monocytes decreased, while CD14+CD16+ monocytes and cytokines IL-12, IL-18, CXCL10, CXCL11, sCD14, and sCD163 increased at 0 w compared to healthy controls.

During DAAs treatment, the decreased NK cells and classic monocytes gradually increased to normal levels; the increased inflammatory monocytes and cytokines IL-12 and CXCL11 decreased to normal levels, but the increased cytokines IL-18, CXCL10, sCD14, and sCD163 still remained at high levels at 12 w though they decreased rapidly from 0 w.

Conclusion.

Our results showed that DAAs treatment attenuated the activation of monocytes and NK cells in CHC patients.

Trial registration number is NCT03063723.