Relationship between T-lymphocyte cytokine levels and sero-response to hepatitis B vaccines.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the cellular defects by analyzing the (Th1/Th2) cytokine levels in vaccine responders and non-responders.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from responders and non-responders were stimulated with or with out recombinant HBsAg or PHA. Broad spectrum of cytokines viz (Th1) IFN-gamma, IL-2, TNF-alpha, IL-12 and (Th2) IL-10, IL-4 were measured after in vitro stimulation with recombinant HBsAg and were compared with respective antibody titers.


RESULTS
A significant decrease (P = 0.001) in Th1 and Th2 cytokines namely, IL-2, INF-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-10 in non-responders was observed. The level of IL-4 was not significant between the three groups. Furthermore, despite a strong Th1 and Th2 cytokine response, the level of IL-12 was elevated in high-responders compared to other groups (P = 0.001) and demonstrated a positive correlation with anti-HBs titers and Th1 cytokine response.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that unresponsiveness to recombinant hepatitis B vaccines (rHB) is multifactorial, including specific failure of antigen presentation or the lack of both T helper Th1 and Th2 response.
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Madras, Chennai 600113, India. vvjai2000@yahoo.com
Vijayakumar
V
Velu
Shanmugam
S
Saravanan
Subhadra
S
Nandakumar
Esaki-Muthu
EM
Shankar
Appasamy
A
Vengatesan
Suresh-Sakharam
SS
Jadhav
Prasad-Suryakant
PS
Kulkarni
Sadras-Panchatcharam
SP
Thyagarajan
D000328:Adult; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000494:pharmacology; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma