title: Abnormal T-cell activation in chronic hepatitis B viral infection: a consequence of monocyte dysfunction?
abstract: The process of T-cell activation in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers has been investigated by measurement of membrane expression of lymphocyte-activation markers in response to a variety of mitogenic stimuli in order to delineate further the abnormality of T-cell-mediated immunity present in such patients. A substantial proportion of unstimulated T cells from the peripheral blood of patients but not controls expressed HLA-DR; in contrast the IL-2 and transferrin receptors were rarely expressed spontaneously in either group and there was no difference in spontaneous lymphocyte transformation. After stimulation with monocyte-dependent T-cell mitogens, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or anti-T3, patients had significantly reduced expression of the IL-2 and transferrin receptors and of HLA-DR in association with impaired lymphocyte transformations compared to controls. In contrast, lymphocyte activation was normal in response to the monocyte-independent T-cell mitogen phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA). These data confirm that the process of T-cell activation is abnormal in chronic HBV carriers but suggest that the T cell is intrinsically normal. In allogeneic co-cultures, monocytes from patients inhibited the transformation of normal and patients' lymphocytes in response to PHA, suggesting that defects of T-cell-mediated immunity in chronic HBV carriers may be a consequence of monocyte dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, King's College School of Medicine & Dentistry, London, U.K.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Nouri-Aria
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magrin
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Eddleston
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate