Distribution specificity of polarized populations of T helper cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Objective:To investigatetherolesof thepolarizedpopulationsof T helpercellsisolatedfromtheperipheral bloodmononuclearcells(PBMCs)of individualswithchronichepatitisB virus(HBV)infection.Methods:PBMCsfrom patientswithchronicHBVinfectionwereseparatedroutinely,stimulatedby PMA,ionomycinandmonensin,andthepro-ductionof IL-4,IFN-γandTGF-βby CD4 + T cellswas observedby flowcytometry(FACS).Results:Thepercentagesof theT cellsproducingIFN-γ,IL-4or TGF-βrangedfrom2.3%to18.6%,1.1%to8.7%and0.7%to7.1%respectivelya-mongCD4 + cellsfromnon-infectedindividuals.Themajorityof CD4 + T cellsin PBMCsfromindividualswithchronic HBVinfectionwereTh0cells.Theproportionof Th1cellsinpatientswithactivechronichepatitisB washigherthanthat in patientsat inactivestageof thedisease(P<0.05),indicatinga significantelevationof Th1cellswiththehepaticinflam-mationactivity.Thepercentageof Th2cellsinindividualswithHBVinfectionwashigherthanthatincontrols(P<0.05),butshowedno differencebetweendifferentpatients(P>0.05).Thepercentageof Th3cellswas higherin asymptomatic HBVcarriersthanthatinpatientswithchronichepatitisB andinhealthycontrols(P<0.05).Conclusions:Th1-typecy-tokinesarerelatedwithhepaticinflammationactivityof chronichepatitisB,andTh2cellsmaybe associatedwiththeper-sistenceof HBVinfection.Th3cellscooperatingwithTh2cellsarelikelyto functionas negativeimmunoregulator,and maybe responsiblefortheimmunetolerancestateof chronicHBVinfection.