Viral escape and T cell exhaustion in hepatitis C virus infection analysed using Class I peptide tetramers
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has infected over 170 million people world wide, and in the majority
sets up a chronic infection associated with hepatic inflammation. How it evades host
immunity, particularly CD8+ T cells (CTL) is unclear, but two major factors are likely to
operate, viral escape mutation and T cell exhaustion. We have investigated the role of CTL
in control of infection during acute disease using Class I peptide tetramers. Although the
immune response is quite diverse and numerous epitopes can be targeted, we observe that …
sets up a chronic infection associated with hepatic inflammation. How it evades host
immunity, particularly CD8+ T cells (CTL) is unclear, but two major factors are likely to
operate, viral escape mutation and T cell exhaustion. We have investigated the role of CTL
in control of infection during acute disease using Class I peptide tetramers. Although the
immune response is quite diverse and numerous epitopes can be targeted, we observe that …