[Clinical implication of expression of perforin/granzyme in peripheral blood lymphocyte in severe hepatitis B].
OBJECTIVE
To explore role of perforin/granzyme expression of peripheral blood lymphocyte in injury of hepatocyte in severe hepatitis B, and evaluate relationship between perforin/granzyme expression levels and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA load.


METHODS
Thirty eight patients of severe hepatitis B were enrolled in the study. Fasting venous blood was collected on following morning of admission. Twenty adult healthy subjects served as healthy control group. Perforin/granzyme expression of peripheral blood lymphocyte was detected by flow cytometry, and serum HBV-DNA load was detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR).


RESULTS
Positive rate of perforin/granzyme in peripheral blood lymphocyte in severe hepatitis B was higher than that of the healthy control group [perforin: (43.42+/-19.28)% vs. (19.65+/-9.27)%, granzyme: (40.35+/-12.26)% vs. (22.28+/-9.35)%, both P<0.01]. There was a significant negative correlation between the perforin/granzyme expression of peripheral blood lymphocyte and serum HBV-DNA load (r(perforin) =-0.92, r(granzyme) =-0.96, both P<0.01), the higher serum HBV-DNA load, the lower perforin/granzyme expression in severe hepatitis B.


CONCLUSIONS
Perforin/granzyme overexpression in peripheral blood lymphocyte is an important factor in injury of hepatocyte in patients with severe hepatitis B, and the expression may be involved in HBV-DNA cleanup.
Cui
Su-nan
SN
Jinan Infectious Diseases Hospital, Jinan 250021, Shandong, China.
Wang
Ming-ming
MM
Liu
Jing-wen
JW
Zhang
Zhao-hua
ZH
Yu
Shu-li
SL
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D053804:Granzymes / Q000097:blood*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054353:Perforin / Q000097:blood*; D019562:Viral Load
D004279:DNA, Viral; D054353:Perforin; D053804:Granzymes