Mononuclear phagocyte system in hepatitis C virus infection

Table 1 Hepatitis C virus-derived mechanisms underlying dendritic cell impairment

HCV protein	Target cells	Functional change	Mechanism	Ref.
HCV core and NS3	mDCs	Impaired maturation	Increased IL-10 and decreased IL-12 production	[64]
		Impaired T-cell stimulation
E2	mDCs	Alter DC migratory behavior	Interacts with CD81	[120]
	pDCs	Inhibited maturation		[121]
		Impaired activation
		Decreased IFN-α production
E2 andNS3	mDCs	Impaired IFN-λ production	Not shown	[113]
NS4	mDCs	Th1 cytokine reduction	Not shown	[122]
		T-cell stimulatory impairment
NS5A	mDCs	Increased IL-8 production	Not shown	[123]
		Impaired interferon signaling	Influence the phosphorylation of STAT1 and STAT2

HCV: Hepatitis C virus; NS: Nonstructural protein; mDC: Myeloid dendritic cell; pDC: Plasmacytoid dendritic cell; IL: Interleukin; Th1: Type 1 help T cell; IFN: Interferon; STAT: Signal transducer and activator of transcription.