One of the most common reasons for needing a liver transplant

HEPNews

One of the most common reasons for
needing a liver transplant is liver failure
or liver cancer caused by liver cell infection
with hepatitis C virus (HCV).
However, in nearly all patients the new
liver becomes infected with HCV almost
immediately. But now, Hideki Ohdan,
Kazuaki Chayama, and colleagues, at
Hiroshima University, Japan, have developed
an approach that transiently
keeps HCV levels down in most treated
HCV-infected patients receiving a new
liver.
Specifically, the team took immune
cells known as lymphocytes from the
donor livers before they were trans-
planted into the HCV-infected patients,
activated them in vitro, and then injected
them into the patients three days after
they had received their liver transplants.
Importantly, these infused cells were
able to keep the HCV at bay even though
the patients were taking immunosuppressive
drugs to prevent their immune systems
from rejecting the new livers. Despite
showing clear clinical effects, the
authors are planning further studies in
which they will modify the protocol in
an attempt to find a way to keep HCV
levels down for longer and in all patients.
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Hepatitis C Virus after Liver Transplant