Fang S.-H.Hwang L.-H.Chen D.-S.BOR-LUEN CHIANG2021-07-022021-07-0220000168-8278https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0033764610&doi=10.1016%2fS0168-8278%2800%2980312-8&partnerID=40&md5=ec4f864b2b114d96f2990a796779787bhttps://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/568095Backgrounds/Aims: Combination IFN-α and ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C virus-infected patients has been reported to improve the response rate up to 50%. In this study, we aimed to study further the role of ribavirin in hepatitis C virus-specific immune responses. Methods: We immunized mice with hepatitis C virus core protein with or without different concentrations of ribavirin. Forty days after immunization, hepatitis C virus-specific humane responses were followed in these mice. Results: We found that the mice immunized with core antigen once every 2 weeks and 0.5 mg ribavirin every day showed higher levels of core-specific IgG2 compared with those mice immunized with core antigen only. In addition, core antigen-stimulated spleen cells produced higher levels of T helper type 1 cytokines and the core-specific cytotoxic T cell activity also increased significantly. Furthermore, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peritoneal cells produced higher levels of IL-12 in ribavirin-treated mice, and peritoneal cells isolated from naive mice also produced significantly higher level of IL-12 when cultured with ribavirin. Conclusions: Ribavirin may significantly promote the T helper type 1 immune response in vivo, and, furthermore, the effect of ribavirin on IL-12 level produced by accessory cells may contribute to the T helper type 1 enhancing effect.Hepatitis C virus; IL-12; Ribavirin; Type 1 T helper cell[SDGs]SDG3alpha interferon; interleukin 12; lipopolysaccharide; ribavirin; virus antigen; animal experiment; animal model; antigen specificity; article; cell activity; cell isolation; cytotoxic T lymphocyte; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; female; helper cell; hepatitis C; immune response; immunization; mouse; natural killer cell; nonhuman; peritoneum cell; phenotype; priority journal; spleen celljournal article10.1016/S0168-8278(00)80312-8110974892-s2.0-0033764610