title: Effect of IFNalpha-2a on Fas expression and apoptosis rate of peripheral blood cytotoxic T cells in patients with hepatitis B.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interferon(IFN) with antiviral and immunomodulatory activities is one of the most important therapeutic agents for the treatment of chronic hepatitis. The apoptotic effect of IFN is influenced by cell type and the types of IFN, which suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis in some cell types while inhibiting apoptosis in others. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of IFNalpha-2a on Fas expression and the apoptosis rate of peripheral blood cytotoxic T cells(CTLs) in patients with hepatitis B.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 26 patients with hepatitis B including 16 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 10 patients with chronic severe hepatitis B. Fas expression and apoptosis rate of CTLs were analyzed with flow cytometry before and after IFNalpha-2a treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before IFNalpha-2a treatment, Fas expression and apoptosis rate of CTLs from patients with chronic hepatitis B were significantly higher than those from patients with chronic severe hepatitis B and healthy controls respectively. No significant difference was observed between Fas expression and apoptosis rate of CTLs from patients with chronic severe hepatitis B and healthy controls. After IFNalpha-2a treatment, Fas expression and apoptosis rate of CTLs from different groups were compared with those before IFNalpha-2a treatment, showing no significant difference despite alternation of different degree.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Activation induced cell death (AICD) exists in peripheral blood CTLs from patients with hepatitis B. No effect of IFNalpha-2a exerts on Fas expression and apoptosis rate of Fas in patients with hepatitis B.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Ke-Zhou
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Min-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Er
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Wo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019014:fas Receptor