Hepatitis: Inchauspe G

Inchauspe G, Bach G, Martin P, Bonnefoy JY. · Transgene SA, Strasbourg, France. · Int Rev Immunol. · Pubmed #19241251 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.

Goutagny N, Vieux C, Decullier E, Ligeoix B, Epstein A, Trepo C, Couzigou P, Inchauspe G, Bain C. · Unité Mixte de Recherche 2142, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Biomérieux, Lyon, France. · J Infect Dis. · Pubmed #15116301 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDCs) are the major producers of interferon (IFN)- alpha within peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). METHODS: We analyzed whether chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection could be linked to a defective function or number of PDCs. We evaluated the capacity of PBMCs from 5 cohorts of subjects to produce IFN- alpha after viral stimulation. We concomitantly analyzed the frequency of PDCs and the levels of IFN- alpha transcripts within the PBMCs from the same cohorts. RESULTS: PBMCs from patients with chronic HCV infection receiving antiviral therapy displayed a reduced capacity to release IFN- alpha, compared with those from healthy individuals, those from long-term responders to therapy, and those from nontreated patients. This defect was significantly correlated with the percentage of PDCs. In addition, PDCs from patients with chronic HCV infection receiving therapy displayed a reduced intrinsic capacity to produce IFN- alpha, which could be linked to the level of IFN- alpha transcripts. CONCLUSION: Our observations point to an effect of the therapy on either the survival or the localization of PDCs, rather than a direct detrimental effect due to the viral infection during chronic HCV infection.

Rollier CS, Paranhos-Baccala G, Verschoor EJ, Verstrepen BE, Drexhage JA, Fagrouch Z, Berland JL, Komurian-Pradel F, Duverger B, Himoudi N, Staib C, Meyr M, Whelan M, Whelan JA, Adams VC, Adams VA, Larrea E, Riezu JI, Lasarte JJ, Lasarte JJ, Bartosch B, Cosset FL, Spaan WJ, Diepolder HM, Pape GR, Sutter G, Inchauspe G, Heeney JL. · Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Center, GH Rijswijk, The Netherlands. · Hepatology. · Pubmed #17326154 No free full text.

Abstract: Broad T cell and B cell responses to multiple HCV antigens are observed early in individuals who control or clear HCV infection. The prevailing hypothesis has been that similar immune responses induced by prophylactic immunization would reduce acute virus replication and protect exposed individuals from chronic infection. Here, we demonstrate that immunization of naïve chimpanzees with a multicomponent HCV vaccine induced robust HCV-specific immune responses, and that all vaccinees exposed to heterologous chimpanzee-adapted HCV 1b J4 significantly reduced viral RNA in serum by 84%, and in liver by 99% as compared to controls (P=0.024 and 0.028, respectively). However, despite control of HCV in plasma and liver in the acute period, in the chronic phase, 3 of 4 vaccinated animals developed persistent infection. Analysis of expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines in serial hepatic biopsies failed to reveal an association with vaccine outcome. However, expression of IDO, CTLA-4 [corrected] and PD-1 levels in liver correlated with clearance or chronicity. CONCLUSION: Despite early control of virus load, a virus-associated tolerogenic-like state can develop in certain individuals independent of vaccination history.

Rollier C, Verschoor EJ, Paranhos-Baccala G, Drexhage JA, Verstrepen BE, Berland JL, Himoudi N, Barnfield C, Liljestrom P, Lasarte JJ, Ruiz J, Inchauspe G, Heeney JL. · Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Center, Rijswijk, The Netherlands. · J Infect Dis. · Pubmed #16088843 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Preventive and therapeutic vaccine strategies aimed at controlling hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection should mimic the immune responses observed in patients who control or clear HCV, specifically T helper (Th) type 1 and CD8+ cell responses to multiple antigens, including nonstructural protein (NS) 3. Given the experience with human immunodeficiency virus, the best candidates for this are based on DNA prime, pox, or adenovirus boost regimens. METHODS: In rhesus macaques, we compared NS3-expressing DNA prime and adenovirus boost strategy with 2 alternative priming approaches aimed at modifying Th1 and CD8+ responses: DNA adjuvanted with interleukin (IL)-2- and -12-encoding plasmids or Semliki Forest virus (SFV). RESULTS: All prime-boost regimens elicited NS3-specific B and T cell responses in rhesus macaques, including CD8+ responses. SFV priming induced higher lymphoproliferation and longer Th1 memory responses. The use of IL-2- and IL-12-expressing vectors resulted in reduced Th2 and antibody responses, which led to increased Th1 skewing but not to an increase in the magnitude of the IFN- gamma and CD8+ responses. CONCLUSIONS: All strategies induced Th1 cellular responses to HCV NS3, with fine modulations depending on the different priming approaches. When they are developed for more HCV antigens, these strategies could be beneficial in therapeutic vaccine approaches.

Laporte J, Bain C, Maurel P, Inchauspe G, Agut H, Cahour A. · Laboratoire de virologie, C.E.R.VI., UPRES EA 2387, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France. · Blood. · Pubmed #12393733 links to  free full text

Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is predominantly a hepatotropic virus. Nonetheless, there is mounting evidence that hematopoietic cells may support HCV replication. The HCV 5' untranslated region (5'UTR), responsible for initiation of viral translation, via an internal ribosome entry site (IRES), has been previously described to contain specific nucleotide substitutions when cultured in infected lymphoid cells. Our purpose was to establish whether the 5'UTR polymorphism of quasispecies from 3 cell compartments (liver, peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMG], and monocyte-derived dendritic cells [DCs]) of a patient chronically infected with HCV1b affects the corresponding translational efficiencies and thus the capacity for replication. The 5'UTR polymorphism was characterized by identification of changes at 3 crucial sites as compared with the reference nucleotide (nt) sequence: a G insertion between positions 19 and 20, a C>A substitution at position 204 and a G>A substitution at position 243. The quasispecies detected in DCs was unique and differed from those present in the liver, suggesting a particular tropism of HCV quasispecies for DCs. Moreover, its translational activity was significantly impaired when compared with those from liver and PBMCs in different cell lines. This impairment was thoroughly confirmed in primary cultures of both human hepatocytes and monocyte-derived DCs. Taken together, our data lend support both to a specific location and impaired replication of HCV quasispecies in DCs, which could be related to viral persistence and perturbation of DC function in chronically infected patients.

Schweitzer S, Schneiders AM, Langhans B, Kraas W, Jung G, Vidalin O, Inchauspe G, Sauerbruch T, Spengler U. · Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. · Cytometry. · Pubmed #11084612 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND/METHODS: To characterize the repertoire of T-cell epitopes on the hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein, we studied major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I binding of 75 decapeptides on 20 human B-cell lines and murine spleen cells using a flow cytometric assay. The results were compared with MHC class I stabilization on T2 cells, the SYFPEITHI algorithm, and known T-cell epitopes from the literature. RESULTS: Binding of peptides proved to be specific for MHC class I molecules. We observed peak fluorescence signals at positions amino acids (aa) 35-44, aa 87-96, aa 131-140, and aa 167-176 in virtually all HLA-A2-positive cell lines. These sites corresponded to T-cell epitopes predicted by SYFPEITHI and the positions of known T-cell epitopes, whereas T2 stabilization was at variance for two peptides. The assay was applied to HLA-A2-negative cells and murine spleen cells without further modification, and identified additional peptides, corresponding to known T-cell epitopes. CONCLUSIONS: Peptide binding to different MHC class I alleles can be mapped rapidly by a flow cytometric assay and enables a first orientation on the sites of possible T-cell epitopes. Application of this assay to HCV core suggests a rather limited repertoire of epitopes in the Caucasoid population.

Inchauspe G. · Transgene SA, 11 rue de Molsheim, 67082 Strasbourg, Alsace, France. · IDrugs. · Pubmed #16523377 No free full text.

This publication has no abstract.