title: Influence of sexual preference and chronic hepatitis B virus infection on T lymphocyte subsets, natural killer activity, and suppressor cell activity.
abstract: To determine whether abnormalities of cell-mediated immunity are associated with chronic hepatitis B virus infection or with homosexuality, we studied 15 homo- and 11 heterosexual men with chronic hepatitis B virus infection, as well as 11 homo- and 16 heterosexual apparently healthy men. T lymphocyte subsets, natural killer activity, and suppressor cell activity were determined. Homosexual men had significantly lower peripheral blood T4/T8 ratios resulting from a significant increase in T8-positive (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells, and they also had lower natural killer activity. These effects of homosexuality were independent of chronic hepatitis B virus infection, which caused no significant changes independent of homosexuality, and they were not caused by infection with human immunodeficiency virus (formerly HTLV-III/LAV). Suppressor cell function was unaltered in this study. We conclude that studies of cellular immunity in hepatitis B virus infection must take male sexual preference into account.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*