Low thymosin alpha-1 concentrations in patients chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus.
Serum concentrations of thymosin alpha-1 (TA-1), an immunoregulatory peptide, were assayed in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and volunteer blood donor controls. Coded samples were tested using a radioimmunoassay. The TA-1 concentrations in HBsAg-positive patients averaged 1555 pg/ml, whereas in the control group, the mean TA-1 in serum was 2159 pg/ml (P less than 0.001). Similar results were found for age- and sex-matched pairs. The TA-1 concentration was not associated with HBe antigen/antibody status or with values of liver-associated enzymes. Analysis of T-cell subsets in nine HBsAg carriers revealed significantly decreased CD4 (helper)-cells, both in absolute numbers and as the percentage of total lymphocytes present. These data suggest that individuals with chronic hepatitis B infection have a relative deficiency of the immunomodulatory peptide TA-1, which may contribute to the characteristics of the resultant T-cell population.
Sherman
K E
KE
Department of Medicine, Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Jones
C C
CC
Goldstein
A L
AL
Naylor
P H
PH
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood
D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D013947:Thymosin; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000077596:Thymalfasin