Grant: Doctoral Research Award - Priority Announcement: HIV/AIDS - Clinical Science

Liver fibrosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This scarring response is induced by the inflammation which occurs during chronic hepatitis due to viral infection or other reasons. Inflammation can be enhanced or reduced by our immune system through small soluble molecules called: cytokines produced by our immune cells. The function of certain immune cell types, as well as certain cytokines in the control of liver fibrosis progression is still not well understood. Based on previous results from our laboratory, we have hypothesized that rapid liver fibrosis progression results from an imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune cell population in the liver, known as the Th17 and the regulatory T cells respectively. Our goal is to evaluate the frequency of those two immune cell types, the cytokines they produce and the signals involved. This will be examined in the liver and the blood of patient suffering from chronic hepatitis in order to understand if and how some of them can control fibrosis progression. This project will lead to new therapeutic targets for the treatment of fibrosis, as well as new diagnosis tools.