The effect of hepatitis B virus on T lymphocyte and its subsets in chronic hepatitis B patients in different ALT stages: A new concept ALT in HBV infection
Peng Gao 1 , Yanping Luo 2 , Lin Chen 3 , Zhongxia Yang 3 , Qiang He 4 , Junfeng Li 4
Affiliations
Affiliations
1
The Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
2
Department of Immunology, Medicine College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, PR China.
3
Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000 Gansu Province, PR China.
4
The Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, PR China.
• This paper compares and analyzes the difference of immune status of T lymphocytes and their subsets in hepatitis B patients under different ALT conditions for the first time.
• For the first time, this paper reveals the changes of immune status and the effects of antiviral therapy on immune function when ALT is greater than or equal to 2 times the normal upper limit.
• This paper puts forward for the first time the significance of using ALT as a node to judge the immune function of the body.
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of hepatitis B virus on T lymphocyte and its subsets in different ALT states, and elucidate the immunological mechanism of ALT basing antiviral therapy for hepatitis B. 363 chronic hepatitis B patients were selected as the study subjects. According to ALT abnormalities, the patients were divided into three study groups. ALT normal group 131 cases, normal≦ ALT < 2 times of upper limit group 110 cases, ALT ≥ 2 times of upper limit group 122 cases. Entecavir was given to the ALT ≥ 2 times of upper limit group patients and followed up for 24 weeks. The hepatitis B antigen antibody parameters were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer, the liver function parameters were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer, the hepatitis B virus load were measured by quantitative PCR analyzer, T lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry, the level of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Detecting the influence of different hepatitis B viru loads in different groups on immunological indexes, and the virological and immunological indexes changes in before and after antiviral therapy patients. In the ALT normal group, different virus load hepatitis B virus had minor effect on T lymphocytes and their subsets (P > 0.05). In the ALT ≥ double upper limit of normal group. with the virus load increased, The total number of T lymphocytes, CD3+ CD4 + T lymphocytes decreased, (P < 0.05)CD3+ CD8 + T lymphocytes increased(P < 0.05). With the virus load increased the cytokines IL-2, IFN-γ which reflect the Th1 lymphocytes increased(P < 0.05), the cytokines IL-4、IL-10 which reflect the Th2 lymphocytes decreased(P < 0.05). Before and after 24 weeks of entecavir treatment, the patient's HBV-DNA decreased significantly(P < 0.05) and the body's immune function improved significantly. (P < 0.05)The influence of hepatitis B virus on immune function is different in different ALT states. Therefore, the scientific significance of ALT grouping in the hepatitis B treatment can be clarified from the immunological point.
Keywords: Chronic hepatitis B; T lymphocyte; Virus load.