Peripheral blood CD4-mediated enhancement and CD8-mediated suppression in the presence of recombinant hepatitis B virus core antigen.
The proliferative response of peripheral blood T cells to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) was studied in hepatitis B patients. CD4+ T cells from patients with chronic active hepatitis type B (CAH-B) exhibited a significant proliferative response to HBcAg, especially in hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients. In contrast, there was no apparent T cell reaction to HBcAg in patients with CAH non-A, non-B, HBeAg-positive healthy carriers and in healthy volunteers. The proliferative response to CD4+ cells to bacterial extracts of Escherichia coli was always insignificant in all patients and healthy volunteers. The CD8+ cells did not proliferate in response to HBcAg in any subject, even in the presence of autologous irradiated CD4+ responder cells. The CD8+ cells, preactivated with HBcAg and HBcAg-reactive irradiated autologous CD4+ cells, suppressed the proliferative response to autologous CD4+ cells to HBcAg but not the response to phytohemagglutinin in HBcAg-responder CAH-B patients. CD4-mediated HBcAg-specific enhancement and CD8-mediated HBcAg-specific suppression in the peripheral blood compartments of HBcAg-responsive CAH-B patients are possible.
Shirai
M
M
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kagawa Medical School, Japan.
Hanada
H
H
Kurokouchi
K
K
Watanabe
S
S
Nishioka
M
M
D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins