HBcAg-specific IL-21-producing CD4+ T cells are associated with relative viral control in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
Scand J Immunol
; 78(5): 439-46, 2013 Nov.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23957859
ABSTRACT
Function exhaustion of specific cytotoxic CD8+ T cell in chronic virus infection partly results from the low levels of CD4 help, but the mechanisms by which CD4 help T cell required to control hepatitis B virus infection are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of interleukin-21-producing CD4+ T cell response in viral control of hepatitis B virus infection. HBcAg-specific interleukin-21-producing CD4+ T cells in blood were detected in patients with hepatitis B virus infection. Patients with acute hepatitis B had greater HBcAg-specific interleukin-21-producing CD4+ T cells in blood compared with chronic hepatitis B patients, and there was no statistical significance between immune active chronic hepatitis B patients and inactive healthy carrier patients for these cells, whereas frequencies of these cells negatively correlated with HBV DNA levels but positively correlated with HBc18-27-specific IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T cells. Moreover, interleukin-21 sustained HBc18-27-specific CD8+ T cells in vitro, and interleukin-21 production by HBcAg-specific IL-21-producing CD4+ T cells of acute hepatitis B patients enhanced IFN-γ and perforin expression by CD8+ T cells from chronic hepatitis B patients. Our results demonstrate that HBcAg-specific interleukin-21-producing CD4+ T cell responses might contribute to viral control by sustaining CD8+ T cell antiviral function.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos
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Interleucinas
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Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos
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Hepatite B Crônica
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Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B
Tipo de estudo:
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2013
Tipo de documento:
Article