Differential Th1/Th2 Immune response in HCV exposed individuals / Khaled Mohamed Nasr Eldin Mahmoud Rakha ; Supervised Alaa Eldien M. S. Hosny , Mona Mohamed Rafik , Nourtan Fatthy Abdeltawab

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Hepatitis C virus remains a public health burden to the world. The incidence rates across the world fluctuate and are difficult to calculate. Egypt has the highest prevalence of HCV worldwide. This study was conducted on 58 individuals with and without evidence of HCV infection. The aim of the study was to investigate the cytokine profiles of HCV chronic patients compared to high risk and healthy control groups by measuring Th1 and Th2 immune response. This was done by studying the effects of different HCV peptides (Core, NS3-4A and NS5B) on different cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IFNÞ) levels in 18 HCV seronegative aviremic +ve proliferation index high risk group (+PI HRG), 18 chronic HCV patients and 22 negative PI healthy control group (-PI HC). The participants were classified based on their proliferation index (PI) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and cytokines were analyzed using Luminex analyzer. Th1 IL-2 level showed higher response, in +ve PI HRG than in chronic group in response to NS3-4A peptide. While, Th2 IL-10 level recorded higher in chronic than in +ve PI HRG in response to NS5B peptide. In case of IL-10 in chronic group, Th1 IFNÞ in chronic group and +ve PI HRG, both of the two cytokines showed higher level compared to {u2013}PI HC group to all peptides tested

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