title: Transfusion of autologous cytokine-induced killer cells inhibits viral replication in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Adoptive immune transfer plays an important role in clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. However, it is unclear whether cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells could suppress HBV replication in CHB patients, especially if drug resistance develops. In this study, functional CIK cells were efficiently generated from 21 CHB patients and were transfused in an autologous manner. We found that CIK cells from the CHB patients displayed substantial proliferation and function. Administration of the CIK cells closely correlated with the decrease in the serum HBV load and improvement in liver function in some patients. The virological response rate in patients with baseline serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels of >40 U/L was higher than that in patients with baseline serum ALT levels of < or = 40 U/L. Moreover, patients who had HBeAg loss or showed seroconversion generally had baseline serum ALT levels of >40 U/L. No serious side effects were observed. This protocol represents an alternative immune therapeutic strategy for the disease.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Biological Therapy, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Junliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zirong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Zhenping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Huifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: George K K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Fu-Sheng
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Wang