[Detection of HBcAg-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes and their association with clinical status in patients with hepatitis B].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the difference of host immune response specific to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections between acute self-limited and chronic persistent hepatitis by quantitative analysis of HLA-A * 2402-restricted HBcAg-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells (CTL) cells.


METHODS
The frequency of HBV-specific CTL cells in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 20 patients infected with HBV were quantified by ELISPOT assays and flow cytometry using one HLA-A * 2402-HBV, 7 with acute HB and 13 with chronic HB, peptide tetrameric complex.


RESULTS
High frequencies of circulating HBcAg-specific CTL cells were detected in most individuals with acute HBV infection while the number of these cells was significantly reduced at the convalescent stage. HBcAg-specific CTL cells were not detected in the PBMC from individuals with chronic HBV infection except for one patient with an acute infection exacerbation.


CONCLUSIONS
HBcAg-specific CTL cells may play a crucial role in complete clearance of HBV from patients with acute HBV hepatitis.
Fan
Zhen-ping
ZP
Research Center of Biological Therapy, PLA 302nd Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
Wang
Fu-sheng
FS
Xu
Dong-Ping
DP
Chu
Fu-liang
FL
Shi
Ming
M
Zhou
Yu
Y
Zhang
Ling-xia
LX
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000276:immunology*; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology*
D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D006512:Hepatitis B Core Antigens