The effect of long-term thymosine factor x/TFx/treatment on T lymphocyte subpopulations and peripheral blood mononuclear cell cytotoxicity in chronic active hepatitis B.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cytotoxic activity, percentage of natural killer (NK) cells and T lymphocyte subpopulations in PBMC of 24 patients suffering from chronic active hepatitis B (CAH-B) have been studied. In comparison with healthy subjects CAH-B patients had significantly enhanced both lymphocyte T suppressor (Ts) and NK cell number. Thirteen CAH-B patients with higher Ts number and low lymphocyte T helper/T suppressor ratio (Th/Ts) were subjected to immunostimulation by thymosine factor x (TFx) treatment. After 1 year of TFx treatment all the CAH-B patients improved clinically, the Th/Ts ratio was brought back to normal and 80 per cent of HBe Ag carriers seroconverted to anti-HBe. After one year of TFx administration no significant changes were observed in PBMC cytotoxicity and NK cell number. TFx appears to be a very effective therapeutic agent in some forms of CAH-B. The obtained results show that TFx normalises biochemical parameters of liver lesion and Th/Ts ratio without any effect on NK cell activity in CAH-B patients.
Baj
Z
Z
Department of Pathophysiology and Immunology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, WAM, Lódź.
Pokoca
L
L
Tchórzewski
H
H
Dworniak
D
D
Tkacz
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013949:Thymus Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
C019108:TFX; D013949:Thymus Extracts