Hepatitis C Virus Induces Regulatory T Cells by Naturally Occurring Viral Variants to Suppress T Cell Responses

Figure 3

Higher frequency of Foxp3⁺ cells in chronic HCV subjects in comparison to resolved HCV subjects. (a) Back gating analysis of % Foxp3⁺ cells in CD4⁺ CD127^- CFSE^low cells. PBMCs were labeled with CFSE and then stimulated with either rNS3 (1 μg/ml) or H3 (1 μg/ml) and incubated for 7 days. The fluorescence minus one (FMO) plus isotype control for Foxp3 antibody was used to determine the gate for Foxp3⁺ cells (upper panel). An example of PBMC stimulated with an antigen is shown in the lower panel. (b) Chronic HCV patients (𝑛=9) have a significantly higher percentage (*𝑃<.05 as determined by Student’s t-test) of CD4⁺ CD127^- CFSE^low Foxp3⁺ expressing cells in comparison to resolved HCV subjects (𝑛=9), (Supplementary Table 2). Δ=[Experimental−Medium]. Noninfected subjects (𝑛=5) were stimulated with the recombinant H3 antigen as a comparison (Supplementary Table 2).

(a) Representative gating scheme

(b)