High frequency of circulating HBcAg-specific CD8 T cells in hepatitis B infection: a flow cytometric analysis.
Clin Exp Immunol
; 124(3): 435-44, 2001 Jun.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-11472405
ABSTRACT
Viral antigen-specific T cells are important for virus elimination. We studied the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific T cell response using flow cytometry. Three phases of HBV infection were studied Group A, HBeAg (+) chronic hepatitis; Group B, HBeAb (+) HBV carrier after seroconversion; and Group C, HBsAb (+) phase. Peripheral T cells were incubated with recombinant HB core antigen (HBcAg), and intracytoplasmic cytokines were analysed by flow cytometry. HBcAg-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells were identified in all three groups and the number of IFN-gamma-positive T cells was greater than TNF-alpha-positive T cells. The frequency of IFN-gamma-positive CD4 and CD8 T cells was highest in Group C, compared with Groups A and B. No significant difference in the HBcAg-specific T cell response was observed between Group A and Group B. The HBcAg-specific CD8 T cell response was diminished by CD4 depletion, addition of antibody against human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I, class II or CD40L. Cytokine-positive CD8 T cells without HBcAg stimulation were present at a high frequency (7 of 13 cases) in Group B, but were rare in other groups. HBcAg-specific T cells can be detected at high frequency by a sensitive flow cytometric analysis, and these cells are important for controlling HBV replication.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
2_ODS3
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes
/
Hepatitis B
/
Hepatitis B Core Antigens
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Clin Exp Immunol
Year:
2001
Document type:
Article