title: T helper cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the compositions of Th1/Th2/Th3 cells in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected individuals by determining the expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4), inetrferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and transform growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in single CD4(+) T cells isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the role of polarized Th cell populations in chronic HBV-infection was discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  PBMCs from chronically infected HBV individuals were isolated, stimulated by PMA/Ionomycin/Monensin, and IL-4, IFN-gamma and TGF-beta production by CD4(+) T cells was determined by using fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of IFN-gamma-producing T cells, IL-4-producing T cells and TGF-beta-producing T cells ranged from 2.3% - 18.6%, 1.1% - 8.7% and 0.7% - 7.1% respectively in CD4(+) T cells from non-infected individuals. Most of CD4(+) T cells from PBMCs in chronically infected HBV individuals were Th0 cells. The proportion of Th1 cells increased significantly with hepatic inflammatory activity, and in the active period of chronic hepatitis B infection were higher than those in the non-active period (P < 0.05). Th2 cell percentage in CD4(+) T cells from HBV-infected individuals did not differ significantly (P > 0.05), but were higher than that from controls (P < 0.05). Th3 cell percentage in CD4(+) T cells from asymptomatic carrier (AsC) group was higher than that in the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and control groups (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Th1 phenotype cytokines were positively correlated with hepatic inflammatory activity in chronic hepatitis B and Th2 cells may be associated with the persistence of HBV infection. Th3 cells cooperating with Th2 cells can negatively regulate immune responses and may be associated with the immune tolerant state of chronic HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. jiangl@fimmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Ronglong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Yabing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Qiaosheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jinlin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Kangxian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma