The major mechanism for determination of HCV infection outcomes has not been fully described, particularly in the early phase of the "window-period" of infection. Based on two groups of marmosets infected with HCV-CE1E2p7/GBV-B chimeric virus (HCV chimera) or GBV-B, the immune mechanism correlating with the different outcomes of virus infections was explored in this study. HCV chimera containing the entire HCV core and envelope proteins (CE1E2p7) and GBV-B RNA were intrahepatically injected into four marmosets in each group, respectively. Blood samples were taken from individual animals in an interval of 2 weeks. Viral load and specific T cell responses were detected in two groups of HCV chimera- and GBV-B-infected marmosets. HCV chimera-infected marmosets appeared to have a virally persistent infection over 6 months post inoculation of the virus. Of these, the specific IFN-γ-secretion T cell response slowly developed over 13 to 19 weeks and was maintained at a relatively low level with 40-70 SFC/106 PBMCs, while the specific Treg cell response was rapidly activated over 3 weeks and was maintained at a high level around 5% among lymphocytes. In contrast, GBV-B-infected marmosets presented spontaneous viral clearance within 6 months; the specific IFN-γ-secretion T cell response was quickly established over 5 to 7 weeks and was maintained at a high level with 50-130 SFC/106 PBMCs, while the specific Treg cell response was inactivated and maintained at a baseline below 3% among lymphocytes. In conclusion, the HCV structural proteins inducing immune suppression in the early phase of HCV infection contributed to the viral persistence, of which the activation of Treg cells might play an important role in the inhibition of an effective T cell antiviral response.
Keywords: chimeric HCV; early phase infection; immune mechanism; infection outcome; marmoset model.