Altered expressions of peripheral CD11c, CD80, CD83 markers and associations of HLA class II allele and haplotypes in self-limiting Hepatitis E infection

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), the major cause of self limiting viral hepatitis, is associated with a robust humoral, moderate CD4 T cell and CTL response. However, key questions like the probable involvement of HLA class II alleles and peripheral DCs/monocytes in regulating the innate and adaptive immune responses in Hepatitis E remain unanswered. One eighty four self- limiting Hepatitis E patients and 283 anti-HEV negative controls from Western India were studied for the distribution of HLA class II alleles and the frequencies of peripheral CD80, CD83, CD86, HLA-DR and CD11c by PCR SSP method and flow cytometry respectively. Frequency of DRB1∗11 allele group was significantly low while haplotypes DRB1∗15/DQB1∗06 and DRB1∗10/DQB1∗05 were significantly high in the patient population. CD11c, CD80 and CD83 expressions were high in the patient groups. CD11c expression was positively associated with viral load. CD86 expression was significantly low in the patients having DQB1∗06 allele. Association of HLA-DRB1∗11 and the emergence of DRB1∗15/DQB1∗06 and DRB1∗10/DQB1∗05 as susceptible haplotypes towards HEV infection is being reported for the first time. Positive correlation of CD11c with HEV viral load suggested that increased frequencies of the same might be associated with HEV replication.