Natural killer cells and hepatitis C: action and reaction

[Guest guest]

http://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2010/09/28/gut.2010.212555

Gut doi:10.1136/gut.2010.212555

Recent advances in basic science

Natural killer cells and hepatitis C: action and reaction

Kuldeep Cheent, Salim I Khakoo

+ Author Affiliations

Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK

Correspondence to

Salim I Khakoo, 10th Floor QEQM Building, Imperial College, St 's Campus,

South Wharf Road, London W2 1NS, UK; skhakoo@...

Published Online First 28 September 2010

Abstract

In 1989, hepatitis C virus (HCV) was first identified as the infectious agent

responsible for human non-A, non-B hepatitis.1 Two decades later, HCV remains a

global public health problem with a suboptimal response rate to treatment and

the absence of a protective vaccine. Recent work has highlighted the influence

of the innate immune system, and in particular natural killer cells, on the

outcome and pathology of HCV infection. These cells are considerably more

complex than was originally thought and their role in viral infections is

currently being unravelled. This review summarises our emerging understanding of

natural killer cells in HCV infection.