title: Diminished active T rosette levels and increased spontaneous B lymphocyte blastogenesis in hepatitis B virus positive chronic active hepatitis.
abstract: The present investigation was designed to detect abnormalities in CMI and the presence of polyclonally activated B cells in patients with HBV positive CAH. We studied the peripheral levels and 3H-thymidine incorporation of three lymphocyte subsets: B lymphocytes, as well as two T cell subsets that are either active or late rosetters with high and low affinity receptors respectively for sheep red blood cells (SRBC). In patients the level of peripheral T active cells was decreased, but they exhibited elevated B cell activation. There was also a significant correlation between the decreased levels of T active cells and increased 3H-thymidine incorporation by B lymphocytes. Taken together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that patients with HBV positive CAH have a severe impairment of T cell function that may lead to an abnormal B cell activation. The increased B cell activity may account for the presence of circulating immune complexes and the variety of autoantibodies often observed in patients with HBV positive CAH.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008875:Middle Aged; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*