Regulation of the immune response to hepatitis B virus and human serum albumin. II. Spontaneous secretion of antibodies with specificity for albumin in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
Peripheral B and T cells sensitized to human serum albumin (HSA) were found in a cohort of patients chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Throughout this study, two groups of symptomatic chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers could be distinguished, characterized by divergent T-cell regulation of the spontaneous IgG anti-HSA secretion. Patients in a quiescent phase of the disease [patients with chronic persistent hepatitis B (CPH), anti-HBe reactivity and absence of viral replication, group A] had circulatory in vivo HBsAg-HSA preactivated B cells with the capacity to secrete spontaneously IgG antibodies with specificity for HSA when isolated and cultured. The addition of autologous T lymphocytes at a T/B-cell ratio of 8.0 suppressed the spontaneous anti-HSA secretion. In contrast, patients in an active stage of the disease exhibited in vivo preactivated T cells exerting helper cell functions on the spontaneous IgG anti-HSA secretion. Memory T cells, sensitized to low concentrations of HBsAg-HSA with disparate regulatory functions, were also detectable in the two groups of patients.
Hellström
U B
UB
Elias Bengtsson Research Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Roslagstull Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Sylvan
S P
SP
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D012709:Serum Albumin