A prominent subset of the hepatic innate immune system is α-galactosylceramide (αGalCer)-
reactive,(CD4+ and CD4− CD8−) CD1d-restricted NKT cells. We investigated in C57BL/6 …

The innate immune system represents a critical first line of host response to infectious,
injurious and inflammatory insults. NKT cells (natural killer T-cells) are an important, but …

The persistent infection caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) is presumably explained by a
deficient immune response to the infection, but the basis for the inefficiency of immune …

The mechanism of liver damage in acute hepatitis E is poorly understood. In this study, we
assessed the frequency and activation status of natural killer (NK) and natural killer T (NKT) …

The present study demonstrates that the quality of the virus‐specific CD8+ T cell responses,
as detected by both enzyme‐linked immunospot assay and specific MHC‐peptide tetramers …

The HIV-1 Nef protein causes a decrease in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I
and CD4 molecule expression on the cell surface. To determine if Nef can affect …

The pathogenic mechanisms involved in viral hepatitis are not completely understood.
Evidence suggests that the pathology associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis …

Background Hepatitis C infection induces an acute and chronic liver inflammation that may
lead to cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocarcinoma. Since the role of αβ T lymphocytes in …

Natural killer (NK) cells are critical in host innate defense against certain viruses. The role of
NK cells in controlling hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains obscure. We examined whether NK …

The pathogenesis of liver cell injury during chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is poorly understood.
The cellular immune response is thought to play a key role in both inhibition of viral …