Sh. Fang et al., Ribavirin enhancement of hepatitis C virus core antigen-specific type 1 T helper cell response correlates with the increased IL-12 level, J HEPATOL, 33(5), 2000, pp. 791-798
Backgrounds/Aims: Combination IFN-EI and ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C
virus-infected patients has been reported to improve the response rate up t
o 50%, In this study, we aimed to study further the role of ribavirin in he
patitis C virus-specific immune responses.
Methods: We immunized mice with hepatitis C virus core protein with or with
out different concentrations of ribavirin, Forty days after immunization, h
epatitis C virus-specific immune responses were followed in these mice.
Results: We found that the mice immunized with core antigen once every 2 we
eks and 0.5 mg ribavirin every day showed higher levels of core-specific Ig
G2 compared with those mice immunized with core antigen only. In addition,
core antigen-stimulated spleen cells produced higher levels of T helper typ
e 1 cytokines and the core-specific cytotoxic T cell activity also increase
d significantly. Furthermore, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peritoneal cell
s produced higher levels of IL-12 in ribavirin-treated mice, and peritoneal
cells isolated from naive mice also produced significantly higher level of
IL-12 when cultured with ribavirin.
Conclusions: Ribavirin may significantly promote the T helper type 1 immune
response in vivo and, furthermore, the effect of ribavirin on IL-12 level
produced by accessory cells may contribute to the T helper type 1 enhancing
effect.