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and approved the manuscript.”
“Introduction Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. The virus causes chronic infection in 80% of acutely HCV-infected patients; a subset of these individuals develop progressive liver injury leading to liver cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma [1, 2]. Immune responses to HCV play Cyclopamine important roles at various stages of the infection. There is emerging evidence that the ability of acutely HCV-infected patients to control the primary HCV infection depends on the vigorous cellular immune reaction to the virus [3]. In the chronic phase of infection, immune responses determine the rate of progression of disease, both by limiting viral replication and by contributing to immunopathology. Livers from chronically HCV-infected individuals show T cell infiltration; however, these cells are not HCV specific and are unable to eradicate the virus [4].