title: mIL-2R, T cell subsets & hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the levels of membrane interleukin-2 receptor (mIL-2R) and T cell subsets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with hepatitis C and their role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  The levels of mIL-2R and T cells subsets in PBMC were detected by biotin- streptatividin (BSA) technique before and after stimulation with PHA in 203 patients with hepatitis C with HCV-RNA(+), anti-HCV(+), anti-HCV(-).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total expressive levels of mIL-2R before and after stimulation with PHA(0.03+/-0.01, 0.03+/-0.02, 0.04+/-0.02, 0.36+/-0.03), and T cell subsets in PBMC (0.62+/-0.06, 0.37+/-0.05, 0.35+/-0.07) were all lower in patients with hepatitis C than those in normal controls (0.66+/-0.07, 0.41+/-0.06, 0.31+/-0.05, P<0.01). Among the patients, the levels of mIL-2R were lower in silence than those in situation of PHA inducting (P<0.01). However, the levels of mIL-2R were similar in acute hepatitis C to that in chronic hepatitis C (P>0.05). The levels of CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+), CD(4)(+)/CD(8)(+) were lower and CD(8)(+) was higher in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis C with anti-HCV(+) than those in normal controls (0.62+/-0.06, 0.37+/-0.05, 0.35+/-0.07, 1.18+/-0.30, 0.61+/-0.07, 0.37+/-0.05, 1.39+/-0.33, 0.31+/-0.05, P<0.05-P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cellular immunity is obviously changed in patients with hepatitis C. The levels of mIL-2R and activation of T cells are closely associated with chronicity of hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aetiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Huainan Institute of Technology, Huainan 232001, Anhui Province, China. yxfy@hnit.edu.cn
authors.forename: Chao-Pin
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ke-Xia
authors.initials: KX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bo-Rong
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2