Hepatitis B virus DNA is more powerful than HBeAg in predicting peripheral T-lymphocyte subpopulations in chronic HBV-infected individuals with normal liver function tests.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the peripheral T-lymphocyte subpopulation profile, and its correlations with hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication level in chronic HBV-infected (CHI) individuals with normal liver function tests (LFTs).


METHODS
Frequencies of T-lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry in 216 CHI individuals. HBV markers were detected with ELISA. Serum HBV DNA load was assessed with quantitative real-time PCR. Information of age at HBV infection, and maternal HBV infection status was collected. ANOVA linear trend test and linear regression were used in statistical analysis.


RESULTS
CHI individuals had significantly decreased relative frequencies of CD3(+), CD4(+) subpopulations and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio, and increased CD8(+) subset percentage compared with uninfected individuals (all P < 0.001). There was a significant linear relationship between the load of HBV DNA and the parameters of T-lymphocyte subpopulations (ANOVA linear trend test P < 0.01). The parameters were also significantly worse among individuals whose mothers were known to be HBV carriers, and those having gained infection before the age of 8 years. In multiple regressions, after adjustment for age at HBV infection and status of maternal HBV infection, log copies of HBV DNA maintained its highly significant predictive coefficient on T-lymphocyte subpopulations, whereas the effect of HBeAg was not significant.


CONCLUSIONS
HBV DNA correlates with modification in the relative T-lymphocyte subpopulation frequencies. High viral load is more powerful than HBeAg in predicting the impaired balance of T-cell subsets.
You
Jing
J
Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand. jingyoukm@126.com
Sriplung
Hutcha
H
Geater
Alan
A
Chongsuvivatwong
Virasakdi
V
Zhuang
Lin
L
Chen
Hong-Ying
HY
Huang
Jun-Hua
JH
Tang
Bao-Zhang
BZ
D000328:Adult; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014779:Virus Replication
D017252:CD3 Complex; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens