title: [Changes of peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells and lymphocyte subsets in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with consensus interferon alpha].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the changes of peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells and lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) during consensus interferon (CIFN) treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients with CHB were treated with CIFN for 24 weeks and followed up for another 24 weeks. Peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells and lymphocyte subsets were measured throughout the treatment and follow-up periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After CIFN treatment, 43.5% of the patients had virological and biochemical responses. The percentage and absolute number of peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells decreased significantly (P less than 0.05), the number of CD3+ cells, CD4+ T cells, B cells and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells decreased also (P less than 0.05), but the number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells increased (P less than 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent virological and biochemical responses can be seen in some patients with CHB virus infection after CIFN treatment, and the percentage and number of their peripheral plasmacytoid dendritic cells greatly decreased, but the number of CD8+ T cells and NK cells increased.
authors.affiliation: PLA 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Ai-min
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui-fen
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fu-sheng
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha