title: Interferon-gamma production specific for hepatitis B virus antigen by intrahepatic T lymphocytes in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies were undertaken to determine whether intrahepatic lymphocytes have a greater cellular immune response specific for hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigen than peripheral blood lymphocytes in HBV-infected man.
  
  
  METHODS
  HB nucleocapsid antigen-stimulated interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production of lymphocytes was measured in acute self-limited hepatitis (AH) (eight cases) and chronic hepatitis (CH) (14 cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both patient groups, basal IFN-gamma levels without any stimulation were higher in the hepatic T cells than in the peripheral T cells. The values in cultures from blood and liver were larger in AH than in CH. Alternatively, IFN-gamma response to HBcAg and HBeAg was less in hepatic T cells than in the corresponding blood cultures; T cell response was HLA class II restricted. Cell flow cytometry study showed that in all patient groups, percentages of CD3+, CD8+, and HLA-DR+ cells were significantly greater in liver than in peripheral blood, whereas the proportion of hepatic CD4+ cells was decreased, compared with that in peripheral CD4+ cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that liver infiltrates are already activated in vivo to produce IFN-gamma, particularly in patients with AH. The changes in the proportion of lymphocyte subsets may be responsible for the altered IFN-gamma response of hepatic T cells.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kakumu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takayanagi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tahara
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kusakabe
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007371:Interferon-gamma