[Dendritic cells originated from the peripheral blood in chronic hepatitis B patients can induce specific T cell immune response].
OBJECTIVE
To study whether dendritic cells (DCs) derived from the peripheral blood in chronic hepatitis B patients can induce specific T cell immune response.


METHODS
(1)The subjects were divided into 3 groups: chronic hepatitis B group (CHB), acute hepatitis B group (AHB), and normal donor group (ND). The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from those subjects were stimulated with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, and intracellular cytokine staining (ICCS) was used for detecting IFN-gamma, IL-2 and TNF-alpha produced by CD8+ T cell. (2) DCs generated from PBMCs were pulsed with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, then were cocultured with autologous lymphocytes for 10 days to induce antigen-specific T cell, which was assessed by ICCS and cytotoxic assay.


RESULTS
(1) The memory effect of the PBMCs from AHB group to HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide was stronger than that from CHB or ND group (t=2.508-3.305, P<0.05). (2)After lymphocytes were cocultured with DC treated with HBcAg 18 to 27 CTL epitope peptide, antigen-specific T cell effect was induced. And the killing rates were (57.0+/-23.0)%, (49.5+/-20.2)%, (21.8+/-12.9)% at the effector/target of 30:1, 10:1, 3:1, which were higher than that in control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The memory T cells against HBV antigen lacks in CHB patients. DCs from CHB patients pulsed with HBcAg 18 to 27 epitope peptide can induce HBV antigen-specific T cell, which can kill specific target cells and produce cytokines involved in virus clearance.
Institute of Hepatology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China.
Ruo-bing
RB
Li
Hong-song
HS
Chen
Yao
Y
Xie
Ran
R
Fei
Xu
X
Cong
Chun-lei
CL
Fan
Song-xia
SX
Wang
Lai
L
Wei
Yu
Y
Wang
D000328:Adult; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens