[Effect of Bushen recipe on T-cell subsets and their function in patients with chronic hepatitis B].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the regulatory effect of Bushen recipe (BSR) on immune function in patients with chronic hepatitis B.


METHODS
Thirty patients with HBeAg+ and abnormal alanine transaminase (ALT) level were treated with BSR for 6 months. The following parameters before treatment, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were tested: (1) HBV DNA by fluorescence quanitiative PCR; (2) Levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-gamma in supernatant of cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) after had been cultured with HBeAg, HBcAg and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) for 48 hrs; (3) Blood levels of T-cells, including CD4+ , CD8+ , CD8+ CD28+ , CD8+ CD28- and CD28+ , and their ratio, as well as the percentage of CD8+ CD28+ in the cell culture after being co-cultured with PHA for 48 hrs.


RESULTS
In patients effectively treated by BSR, after 3 months treatment, level of IFN-gamma in PBMC culture significantly increased, CD8+ CD28+ , CD28+ T-cells significantly enhanced and IL-10 and CD8 + CD28+ T-cells significantly decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
BSR could significantly strengthen the expression of Th1 type cytokine, decrease the expression of Th2 type cytokine and promote the expression of CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte, which may be one of mechanisms in suppressing HBV DNA replication.
Gao
Yue-qiu
YQ
Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of TCM, Shanghai. gaoyueqiu@hotmail.com
Sun
Xue-hua
XH
Zhang
Xiao-ying
XY
D000328:Adult; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016753:Interleukin-10