Immune-based strategies for treatment and prevention of hepatitis C virus infection

Authors

  • Fatma Abdelaziz Amer Zagzig University
  • Marwa Abdelazim Mansour Zagazig Faculty of Medicine
  • Shyma Abdelazim Mansour Zagazig Faculty of Medicine

Keywords:

HCV immune response, vaccine, dendritic cells, neutralizing antibodies, T cells inhibitors, cytokines, caspases, Toll-like receptors

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects about 3% of the world’s population. Currently, the gold standard therapy does not work in a high percentage of patients and with all genotypes. In addition, it is costly, is associated with many side-effects. So, more convenient therapeutic strategies have been sought. These include, direct acting antivirals (DAAs), and immune-based therapy. Four DAA molecules have recently been approved by FDA.  Immune-based therapy aims at augmenting host immunity, thus prevention of infection or clearance of the virus with subsequent recovery can occur. Boosting T cell responses and activating humoral immune reactions have been targeted in the development of novel combating tools. The most intensively studied immune-therapeutic strategies are: 1) vaccines; either therapeutic or prophylactic, 2) dendritic cell immunotherapy, 3) antagonists of T cell inhibitory factors, 4) anti-HCV neutralizing antibodies, 4) cytokines and chemokines, 5) agonists for TLRs, and 6) caspase inhibitors.

Author Biographies

Fatma Abdelaziz Amer, Zagzig University

Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Professor

Marwa Abdelazim Mansour, Zagazig Faculty of Medicine

Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Associate Professor

Shyma Abdelazim Mansour, Zagazig Faculty of Medicine

Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Associate Professor

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Published

2014-07-28

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Section

Articles

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