The Immune Response Induced by Hepatitis B Virus Principal Antigens

Hepatitis B virus （HBV） infection occurs primarily in hepatocytes in the liver with release of infectious virions and non-infectious empty surface antigen particles into the bloodstream. HBV replication is non-cytopathic. Transient infections run a course of several months, and chronic infections are often life-long. Chronic infections can lead to liver failure with cirrhosis and hepatocellniar carcinoma. It is generally accepted that neutralizing anti-HBs antibodies plays a key role in recovery from HBV infection by containing the spread of infection in the infected host and facilitating the removal and destruction of viral particles. However, the immune response initiated by the T-cell response to viral antigens is also important for viral clearance and disease pathogenesis in HBV infection. The three structural forms of the viral proteins, the HBsAg, the particulate HBcAg, and the nonparticulate HBeAg, may preferentially elicit different Th cell subsets. The different IgG subclass profiles of anti-HBs, anti-HBc, and anti-HBe in different HBV infection status were revealed. Moreover, the different IgG subclass profiles in chronic carriers did not change with different ALT and AST levels and may reflect the difference between stimulating antigens, immune response, and the stages of viral disease and provide the basis for the use of vaccines and prophylactic treatments for individuals at high risk of human HBV infection. This review elucidates the detailed understanding of the immune responses induced during transient and persistent infection, and the development of immunotherapy and immunodiagnosis in patients with HBV infection, and possible means of reducing the liver damage.

The Immunopharmaceutical Effects and Mechanisms of Herb Medicine

In recent years, studies on evaluation of the therapeutic and toxic activity of herbal medicinal products became available and popular. The advances in modern biotechnology have led to discovery of many new active constituents. However, it is a constant challenge to establish the pharmacological basis for efficacy and safety of herbal medicinal products. A better understanding of the effects and bioavailability of phytopharmaceuticals can help in discovering suitable and rational therapies. In this review, we present the bioavailability studies in immune system that has been conducted for some of the more important or widely used phytopharmaceuticals. Furthermore, various new drug targets worthy of using for drug development in immunomodulating herbal medicine area and their regulatory mechanisms are also discussed. Adverse effects, drug interactions, and contraindications are also discussed which show that caution should be exercised when combining phytopharmaceuticals with chemically derived pharmaceutical components. Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology.

The Study of IgG Subclass Profiles of Anti-HBc in Populations with Different Status of HBV Infection

To study IgG subclasses for the hepatitis B virus （HBV） core antigen （anti-HBc） in different populations, a comparison was made between 104 chronic carriers （60 male and 44 female） and 434 recovered individuals （247 male and 192 female）. Biochemistry analyses of AST （aspartate aminotransferase） and ALT （alanine aminotransferase） were also performed. Among the 104 chronic carriers, 21 patients were found to be ALT and AST abnormal （〉 25 IU/ml）. After comparing these ALT and AST abnormal patients with other ALT and AST normal chronic carriers, no statistical difference was observed in the OD values of the anti-HBe （p 〉 0.05）. The ELISA results showed the anti-HBc IgG subclass pattern was IgG1 〉 IgG3 〉 IgG4 in chronic carriers and IgG3 〉 IgG1 〉 IgG4 in recovered individuals （p 〈 0.05）. This result suggests the IgG1/IgG3 ratio may be related with HBV status. However, in spite of the different anti-HBc IgG1/IgG3 patterns demonstrated in different populations, both anti-HBc IgG1 and IgG3 concentrations were significantly higher in chronic carriers （p 〈 0.05）. Therefore, both the anti-HBc IgG1/IgG3 ratio and their amounts differed. They may play a significant role in chronic carriers and recovered individuals. The anti-HBc IgG subclass profiles of chronic carriers were not changed regardless of liver inflammation, and were independent of sex and age.