title: [Identification of circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells in chronic HBV-infected patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the features of circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in patients with chronic hepatitis B for a better understanding of the immunopathogenesis of HBV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh blood samples were collected from 20 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and from 15 healthy individuals who served as controls. pDCs were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using immunomagnetic assay and detected by flow cytometry. Fresh PBMCs and isolated pDCs were stimulated in vitro using CpG ODN2216. The supernatants were measured for IFNa production using ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The peripheral pDCs frequency in CHB patients (0.192%+/-0.110%) was markedly lower than that in the healthy controls (0.287%+/-0.142%). After being pulsed with CpG ODN2216, the isolated pDCs produced lower levels of IFNa and expressed lower levels of CD80 and CD40 in the CHB patients when compared to those of the healthy controls. The level of IFNa was (972.6+/-705.5) pg/ml in the patients and (3 142.9+/-1 292.2) pg/ml in the controls. Moreover, the pDCs frequency was reversely correlated with serum ALT levels in these HBV infected patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reduced number and impaired function of circulating pDCs in patients with CHB may be related to their disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuan-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Fu-Sheng
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000819:agonists
chemical_list: C526902:CpG ODN 2216; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9