LOW STIMULATORY CAPACITY OF LYMPHOID DENDRITIC CELLS EXPRESSING HEPATITIS-C VIRUS GENES

To determine the role of antigen presenting cells (APCs) during hepati tis C virus (HCV) infection, murine lymphoid dendritic cells (LDCs), t he most potent APCs, were transfected with HCV genes using adenovirus vector-mediated gene transfer. At a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 100, more than 90% of the transfected LDCs expressed the HCV genes (e ncoding core-E2 region). The stimulatory capacity of these LDCs (LDC-A xCA327) in the allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction (Allo MLR) was sign ificantly lower (P < 0.01) than that of LDCs infected with control ade novirus vector lacking the HCV genes (LDC-Axw1). LDC-AxCA327 also prod uced significantly lower levels of IL-12 than LDC-Axw1 (P < 0.05). The se findings suggest that the inadequate APC capability of LDCs that ex press HCV genes is related to immunopathology during HCV infection and that IL-12 appears to be involved in this process. (C) 1998 Academic Press.