RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: To date, few studies have been conducted to determine whether T cell receptor (TCR) gammadelta T cells are involved in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study was performed to assess the quantity and immune function of TCRgammadelta T cells in the blood of patients with chronic HBV infection and to analyze the relationship between proportions of TCRgammadelta T cells and both proportions of other immune cells and clinical parameters. METHODS: Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportions of TCRgammadelta T cells and other immune cells in the peripheral blood of 46 asymptomatic carriers (AsCs) of HBV, 95 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 29 healthy donors (HDs). The immune functions of TCRgammadelta T cells from 5 AsCs, 6 patients with CHB, and 5 HDs were assessed by cytokine secretion and cytotoxity assays. RESULTS: The difference in the proportion of the V(delta)2 T cell subtype between HDs and patients was significant. For the patients, the proportion of V(delta)2 T cells was negatively correlated with alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and total bilirubin levels. The differences in interferon (IFN)-gamma secretion and cytotoxicity between patients and HDs were significant. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of circulating V(delta)2 T cells was significantly decreased in patients with chronic HBV infection, and this was accompanied by a strong immune response in the liver. IFN-gamma secretion and TCRgammadelta T cell cytotoxicity was lower in patients than in HDs.