TIM-3 as a marker of exhaustion in CD8 T cells of active chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background: Chronic HBV infection presents weak or no virus-specific T-cell responses, implying to an exhausted phenotype, characterized by overexpression of several inhibitory receptors. In the present study, it was aimed to characterize the panel of inhibitory molecules on the CD8 T cells in patients with active chronic HBV infection.

Methods: In this study, 31 active and 32 inactive individuals with chronic HBV infection were recruited.

T cell exhaustion implications during transplantation.

Exhaustion of lymphocyte function, particularly T cell exhaustion, due to prolonged exposure to a high load of foreign antigen is commonly seen during chronic viral infection as well as antitumor immune responses. This phenomenon has been associated with a determined molecular mechanism and phenotypic manifestations on the cell surface. In spite of investigation of exhaustion, mostly about CD8 responses toward viral infections, recent studies have reported that chronic exposure to antigen may develop exhaustion in CD4 + T cells, B cells, and NK cells.

MicroRNA signature of regulatory T cells in health and autoimmunity.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules with regulatory functions on the expression of genes through binding directly to target messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts, eventuating in gene expression suppression via translational hindrance and/or target mRNA cleavage. These molecules have been established to participate in numerous critical cellular settings, including differentiation, development, and function of immune cells. As an important suppressor cell of immune system, regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important in modulating the immune homeostasis as well as tolerance to self-antigens.