Specific cellular immune response in hepatitis E patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the specific T cell response together with IgM anti-hepatitis-E-virus (HEV) antibodies in acute hepatitis E (HE) patients.


METHODS
Blood samples were collected from 11 HE patients every week and assayed for routine blood investigation after onset of disease until their convalescence. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated from some of the blood samples (1-3 samples per patient) and tested for specific T cell response by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay and IgM anti-hepatitis E virus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
A particulate HEV capsid protein, HEV 239, effectively stimulated the response of T cells from HE patients infected by type 1 or type 4 HEV. In acute HE, a burst of HEV-specific cellular immune response occurred, which decreased along with the decreasing IgM anti-HEV antibody titre and normalization of liver function.


CONCLUSIONS
HEV open reading frame 2 amino acids 368-606 can effectively stimulate the HEV-specific T cell response in vitro; the specific T cell response decreases along with convalescence and may play a role in the pathogenesis of acute HE and recovery.
Wu
Ting
T
National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Zhang
Jun
J
Su
Zhi-Jun
ZJ
Liu
Jia-Jun
JJ
Wu
Xiao-Lu
XL
Wu
Xiao-Lu
XL
Lin
Chun-Xin
CX
Ou
Shan-Hai
SH
Yan
Qiang
Q
Shih
J Wai-Kuo
JW
Xia
Ning-Shao
NS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M