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(American Journal of Pathology. 2005;166:443-453.)
© 2005 American Society for Investigative Pathology

The HLA-A2 Restricted T Cell Epitope HCV Core_35–44 Stabilizes HLA-E Expression and Inhibits Cytolysis Mediated by Natural Killer Cells

Jacob Nattermann^*, Hans Dieter Nischalke^*, Valeska Hofmeister, Golo Ahlenstiel^*, Henning Zimmermann^*, Ludger Leifeld^*, Elisabeth H. Weiss, Tilman Sauerbruch^* and Ulrich Spengler^*

From the Department of Internal Medicine I,^* Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitaet, Bonn, Germany; and the Institute of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet, Munich, Germany

Impaired activity of natural killer cells has been proposed as a mechanism contributing to viral persistence in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Natural cytotoxicity is regulated by interactions of HLA-E with inhibitory CD94/NKG2A receptors on natural killer (NK) cells. Here, we studied whether HCV core encodes peptides that bind to HLA-E and inhibit natural cytotoxicity. We analyzed 30 HCV core-derived peptides. Peptide-induced stabilization of HLA-E expression was measured flow cytometrically after incubating HLA-E-transfected cells with peptides. NK cell function was studied with a ⁵¹chromium-release-assay. Intrahepatic HLA-E expression was analyzed by an indirect immunoperoxidase technique and flow cytometry of isolated cells using a HLA-E-specific antibody. We identified peptide aa35–44, a well-characterized HLA-A2 restricted T cell epitope, as a peptide stabilizing HLA-E expression and thereby inhibiting NK cell-mediated lysis. Blocking experiments confirmed that this inhibitory effect of peptide aa35–44 on natural cytotoxicity was mediated via interactions between CD94/NKG2A receptors and enhanced HLA-E expression. In line with these in vitro data we found enhanced intrahepatic HLA-E expression on antigen-presenting cells in HCV-infected patients. Our data indicate the existence of T cell epitopes that can be recognized by HLA-A2 and HLA-E. This dual recognition may contribute to viral persistence in hepatitis C.

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