The liver is unique in that it traps and kills activated CD8+ T cells. This results in the development of hepatitis, which is not driven by the direct recognition of antigen on hepatocytes by CD8+ T cells, but by an indirect or bystander mechanism. Our preliminary studies using a respiratory virus (influenza A) to drive the expansion and accumulation of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in the liver indicate that this bystander hepatitis requires the presence of Kupffer cells (KCs). The significance of this work is twofold: First, we show that bystander hepatitis occurs in patients as well as mice infected with influenza and that hepatitis may be a general consequence of the hepatic clearance of large numbers of CD8+ T cells generated during the course of virus infections. Secondly, our analysis of bystander hepatitis has revealed the importance of KCs in mediating the deletion of intrahepatic CD8+ T cells as well as inducing the associated liver damage. We have recently developed a model of hepatotrophic viral infection using an Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) encoding the SIINFEKL antigen recognized by CD8+ T cells from the OT-1 transgenic mouse. Using this AAV-OVA and an influenza model, we propose experiments to test the hypothesis that KC activation (mediated through interferon-g and TNFa) is critical for both the deletion of CD8+ T cells and the generation of hepatitis (Aim 1). Furthermore, we postulate that KC-mediated killing of anti-viral cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) inhibits the antiviral CTL response (Aim 2) and that KC-mediated bystander effect contributes to liver damage even in the context of an intrahepatic infection (Aim 3). Finally, we propose to test selective inhibition of KC activity as a novel therapy to improve viral clearance and decrease liver damage in our AAV- OVA model of hepatotrophic virus infection. These experiments will shed light on how KCs affect CTL-dependent immune responses in the liver and may clarify the mechanism through which hepatotrophic pathogens such as HCV evade immune clearance and establish chronic infections.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI064463-05
Application #
7920895
Study Section
Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology Study Section (HBPP)
Program Officer
Ferguson, Stacy E
Project Start
2006-07-01
Project End
2012-06-30
Budget Start
2010-07-01
Budget End
2012-06-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$454,539
Indirect Cost
Name
Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
070967955
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98109
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