[Specific T cell immune response in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with different doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine].
OBJECTIVE
To study the specific cellular immunoresponse of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the chronic hepatitis B patients treated with different doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.


METHODS
Seventy-two chronic hepatitis B patients who did not use any anti-HBV drugs within 6 months were randomized into 3 groups (90 micrograms, 60 micrograms, and placebo) in a ratio of 1:1:1. The patients in different groups were treated with different doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine in combination with IFN alpha 1b 50 micrograms with 3 times a week for 24 weeks. All patients were followed up for 24 weeks (W24). HBV DNA, HBeAg and liver functions were detected at different time points, and the number of cells that secrete IFN-gamma were detected by ELISPOT.


RESULTS
There were no significant difference in ELISPOT positive ratio among the 3 groups on baseline detection. At W24, 12 cases, 12 cases, and 7 cases showed ELISPOT positive in the group of 90 micrograms, 60 micrograms, and placebo. The proportion of patients who were ELISPOT positive was higher in the groups treated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (including the dose of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms) than that in the placebo group (P=0.0446). HBV DNA turned negative in 6/24 of the patients treated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (at both the doses of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms), and HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion or HBeAg became negative in 7/24 of them. In the placebo group, none of the patients showed undetectable HBV DNA, HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion or HBeAg disappearance. At the 24W of follow up, in the patients who were ELISPOT positive, HBV DNA became undetectable in 4 of the patients treated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (at doses of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms), and HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion or HBeAg disappearance were found in 9 of the cases. In the placebo group, none of the cases showed undetectable HBV DNA, and only 1 case had HBeAg/Anti-HBe seroconversion.


CONCLUSIONS
The recombinant hepatitis B vaccine may increase the function of specific T lymphocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis B. There were no significant differences between the patients treated with the dose of 90 micrograms and 60 micrograms hepatitis B vaccine.
Xu
Qi-huan
QH
Department of Infectious Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China. xqh0303@yahoo.com.cn
Zhang
Xiao-hong
XH
Xie
Dong-ying
DY
Li
Jian-guo
JG
Chong
Yu-tian
YT
Yang
Lin
L
Lu
Wei-lun
WL
Gao
Zhi-liang
ZL
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D007371:Interferon-gamma