HCV serum particles inhibit T cell receptor (TCR) signaling in primary human T lymphocytes.

<p>Healthy donor PBMCs were incubated with serum obtained from HCV positive (HCV+) humans infected with various genotypes and subtypes (GT; 1, 1a, 1b, 2, 2b, and 3) or HCV negative control serum (C1-C4) and IL-2 release (A) and CD69 surface expression (B) were measured following TCR stimulation with anti-CD3/CD28. CD69 MFI represents the average of four HCV negative and six HCV-positive sera samples. TCR-induced IL-2 release by human PBMCs incubated with various doses of pooled HCV positive or HCV negative serum (C). IL-2 release by purified primary human CD3+ T cells incubated with HCV-positive sera from genotypes (GT; 1, 1a, 1b, 2, 2b, and 3) or HCV negative serum (C1-C4) (D). US = unstimulated cells. MFI = mean fluorescent intensity. Data represent the average of three technical replicates and the standard deviation is shown. Each experiment was independently performed with three different donors with similar results. *P< 0.05; **P< 0.01.