ABSTRACT
Dendritic cells (DCs) are multifunctional cells that initiate adaptive immune responses. Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have reduced numbers of DCs which may be functionally impaired, a defect that may contribute to viral persistence. Autologous DC-based immunotherapy is considered to be a treatment option for chronic HBV infection (CHB). We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of HBV-pulsed DCs in combination with the antiviral drug entecavir in patients with CHB. Eighty patients were divided into four groups: HBV-pulsed DCs only, HBV-pulsed DCs plus entecavir, entecavir only, and an untreated control group. Patients on combination therapy exhibited greater antiviral responses than patients on either monotherapy. The combination of HBV-pulsed DCs and entecavir resulted in the largest reduction in serum viral DNA levels and the highest percentage of virologic response. In addition, combination therapy resulted in viral e antigen (HBeAg) loss and seroconversion. These results suggest that the combination of HBV-pulsed autologous DCs and entecavir could be therapeutically advantageous for patients with CHB.
