Publications by authors named "Jan Bockmann"
Article Synopsis
- Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections often lead to liver cancer (HCC) due to persistent virus and weak immune response, necessitating new treatments to restore antiviral immunity.
- Researchers developed bispecific T-cell engager antibodies that activate T-cells against HBV-infected liver cells by targeting HBV envelope proteins, boosting both direct killing and cytokine-mediated control of the virus.
- In mouse models, these antibodies successfully directed T-cell responses towards HBV-infected tumors, reducing tumor size and demonstrating potential as a new treatment for chronic hepatitis B and related liver cancer.
Background & Aims: Hepatitis D virus (HDV) superinfection in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with rapid progression to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Treatment options are limited, and no vaccine is available. Although HDV-specific CD8 T cells are thought to control the virus, little is known about which HDV epitopes are targeted by virus-specific CD8 T cells or why these cells ultimately fail to control the infection.
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- This study investigates the T-cell responses specific to hepatitis delta virus (HDV) in patients who are also infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV).
- Researchers stimulated T-cells using HDV-specific peptides and evaluated their responses in 32 infected individuals, revealing that over 50% exhibited a notable T-cell response.
- The findings highlight three HDV-specific epitopes that activated T-cell responses, which could help advance understanding of HDV's impact on the immune system and guide future research.