title: Impaired antibody synthesis in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.
abstract: In vitro synthesis of the anti-HBc, anti-HBs and polyclonal IgG and IgM classes of antibodies were determined from supernatants of peripheral blood mono-nuclear cells cultured in the presence of pokeweed mitogen. Thirty-seven patients with chronic hepatitis B and 10 healthy control subjects whose sera were positive for anti-HBs formed the study group. Twenty-four of 37 patients showed histologic evidence of chronic active hepatitis B while the remaining 13 patients had chronic persistent hepatitis B. Lymphocytes from chronic persistent hepatitis B, chronic active hepatitis B and healthy controls secreted similar levels of IgM. However, IgG synthesis was markedly impaired (p less than 0.002) in the chronic persistent hepatitis B group as compared with healthy controls or chronic active hepatitis B patients. In vitro anti-HBc production and serum anti-HBc titers correlated directly with hepatocellular inflammation and inversely with serum hepatitis B virus DNA. Anti-HBc synthesis was significantly higher in chronic active hepatitis B patients who exhibited a more pronounced hepatocellular damage when compared to chronic persistent hepatitis B patients who had little or no liver cell injury.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens