Fig. 1
From: NKG2A is a NK cell exhaustion checkpoint for HCV persistence
CD8+ T cell exhaustion and PD-1 blockade. C/OTg (n = 55, n ≥ 6 for each time point) or wt mice (n = 32, n = 4 for each time point) were i.v. infused with 1 mL HCV J399EM (TCID50 = 2 × 107/mL). Mice were killed and blood, splenocytes, hepatocytes, and NPCs were collected at indicated time. a HCV RNA copies in hepatocytes were measured by qPCR. b The number of IFN-γ spot-forming cells (SFCs) by ELISpot assay determined 2.5 d after in vitro stimulation of splenocytes with respective epitope peptides, subtracted the SFC of OVA stimulation as the background. c FACS measurement of PD-1 expression in circulating or hepatic CD8+ T cells at indicated time post HCV infection. d FACS analysis of PD-L1 expression on hepatocytes isolated from naive (n = 4) or HCV-infected C/OTg mice (n = 6) 2 wpi. e C/OTg mice (n = 9 for each group) were i.p. injected with PD-1 blocking antibody or isotype Ig (200 μg/3 days) 1 day before HCV inoculation. f HCV RNA copies in serum and livers, and g HCV-specific T cells response to the indicated epitopes. h FACS analysis of Tim-3 expression on peripheral and liver CD8+ T cells. i qPCR measurement of HCV RNA copies in the liver or blood after C/OTg mice (n = 3 for each group) were i.p. injected with PD-1 (200 μg/3 days) plus Tim-3 (100 μg/2 days) blocking antibody or isotype IgG 1 day before HCV inoculation. Dash lines indicated limits of detection of related assays (qPCR: 100 copies/mg liver, 500 copies/mL serum; ELISpot: 50 spots/4 × 105 splenocytes). #, below detection limit. Data were mean ± SD, Student t-test in b, d, f, h, and i. *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001. ns Not significant. Source data are provided as a Source Data file
