HBV specific T-cell responses in hepatitis B.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Cellular immune responses seem to prevail in acute hepatitis, whereas chronically infected patients demonstrate generally suppressed cellular immune responses and significantly greater antibody responses.

AIM:

To study hepatitis B virus (HBV) specific T cell proliferative responses in HBV related liver diseases.

METHODS:

We analyzed the T lymphocyte proliferative responses to the nonspecific mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and the HBV specific hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) by calculating T cell proliferation index in 10 acute viral hepatitis (AVH) patients, 19 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, 10 HBV cirrhotics, 10 inactive carriers and 10 healthy controls using MTT assay.

RESULTS:

The mean proliferation index (PI) to PHA was highest in healthy controls (133.2 +/- 58.1) and lowest in cirrhotics (44.1 +/- 46.9) with all other groups falling in between. On comparing the mean T cell responses to HBcAg, AVH patients had the highest mean response (186.48 +/- 116.37) followed by CHB (137.9 +/- 134.3), inactive carriers (63.2 +/- 41.2) and cirrhotics (55.5 +/- 42.7).

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with AVH had the highest T cell response to HBcAg, which probably explains the clearance of virus in these patients, in contrast to patients with cirrhosis who had the lowest T cell response.

• Authors: Deepa Rana, John Menachery, Yogesh Chawla, Ajay Duseja, Radha Dhiman, Sunil Arora
• Journal: Tropical gastroenterology : official journal of the Digestive Diseases Foundation (Trop Gastroenterol) 2011 Oct-Dec Vol. 32 Issue 4 Pg. 273-8 ISSN: 0250-636X [Print] India
• PMID: 22696907 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Hepatitis B Core Antigens

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Adult
• Cell Proliferation
• Female
• Hepatitis B (immunology)
• Hepatitis B Core Antigens (analysis)
• Hepatitis B virus (immunology)
• Hepatitis B, Chronic (immunology)
• Humans
• Male
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)