Liver cirrhosis in HIV/HCV‐coinfected individuals is related to NK cell dysfunction and exhaustion but not to an impaired NK cell modulation by CD4+ T‐cells

摘要

Introduction HIV worsens HCV‐related liver disease by accelerating fibrosis progression; however, progression rates are extremely variable among HIV/HCV‐coinfected individuals. NK cells are associated with modulation of liver fibrosis and are profoundly altered during HCV and HIV infections. CD4⁺ T‐cells modulate NK cell function, and are also affected by HIV infection. Here, we aim to characterize the association of hepatic fibrosis with both the phenotype and function of peripheral NK cells and their regulation by CD4⁺ T‐cells, in HIV/HCV‐coinfected individuals.