Association of Blood NK Cell Phenotype with the Severity of Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis C with Genotype 1 or 3
Vladislav Vladimirovich Tsukanov,
Andrei Anatolyevich Savchenko,
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Cherepnin,
Eduard Vilyamovich Kasparov,
Elena Petrovna Tikhonova,
Alexander Viktorovich Vasyutin,
Julia Leongardovna Tonkikh,
Anna Alexandrovna Anisimova,
Vasily Dmitrievich Belenyuk,
Alexandr Gennadyevich Borisov
Affiliations
Vladislav Vladimirovich Tsukanov
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Andrei Anatolyevich Savchenko
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Mikhail Aleksandrovich Cherepnin
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Eduard Vilyamovich Kasparov
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Elena Petrovna Tikhonova
Krasnoyarsk State Medical University Named after Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Alexander Viktorovich Vasyutin
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Julia Leongardovna Tonkikh
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Anna Alexandrovna Anisimova
Krasnoyarsk State Medical University Named after Prof. V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky of the Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Vasily Dmitrievich Belenyuk
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Alexandr Gennadyevich Borisov
Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center” of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Research Institute of Medical Problems of the North, 660022 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Background: NK cells phenotype and functional state in different genotypes of chronic viral hepatitis C (CVHC), depending on liver fibrosis severity, have not been sufficiently studied, which limits the possibilities for the development of pathology therapy. Methods: The CVHC diagnosis was based on the EASL recommendations (2018). Clinical examination with liver elastometry was performed in 297 patients with genotype 1 and in 231 patients with genotype 3 CVHC. The blood NK cells phenotype was determined by flow cytometry in 74 individuals with genotype 1 and in 69 individuals with genotype 3 CVHC. Results: The frequency of METAVIR liver fibrosis stages F3–F4 was 32.5% in individuals with genotype 3, and 20.5% in individuals with genotype 1 CVHC (p = 0.003). In patients with both genotype 1 and genotype 3 CVHC, a decrease in the total number of blood NK cells, CD56brightCD16+ NK cells and an increase in the proportion of CD56dimCD16+ NK cells, CD94+ and CD38 + CD73+ NK cells were registered in patients with fibrosis stage F3–F4 by METAVIR in comparison with persons with METAVIR fibrosis stage F0–F1. Conclusions: In patients with both genotype 1 and genotype 3 CVHC, an imbalance in the ratio between cytokine-producing and cytotoxic NK cells and an increase in the content of NK cells that express inhibitory molecules were determined in patients with severe liver fibrosis.
