[The influences of camel milk on the immune response of chronic hepatitis B patients].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influences of camel milk on the immune response of the chronic hepatitis B patients and its possible mechanism.


METHODS
After drinking camel milk for one year, 44 chronic hepatitis B patients were observed and the HBV-DNA, hepatitis B virus markers, ALT, IL-4 and INF-gamma levels in serum were detected. 60 chronic hepatitis B patients without any interventions for 1 year were taken as control.


RESULTS
The level of Th1-type cytokine IFN-gamma in camel milk drinking group was significantly higher than that in the non-drinking camel milk group (P<0.05), however, the level of Th2-type cytokines IL-4 in camel milk drinking group was significantly lower than that in the non-drinking camel milk group (P<0.01). Both IFN-gamma and IL-4 levels in camel milk drinking group were near to those in the normal control group. The HBV-DNA negative rate of the camel milk drinking group (90.91%) was significantly higher than that of the non-drinking group (3.23%) (P<0.01). The HBsAg negative rates of the camel milk drinking group (54.55%) was also higher than that of the non-drinking group (1.61%)(P<0.01).The ALT level of 44 cases in the camel milk drinking group (100%)and 7 cases in the non-drinking group(11.29%) turned back to the normal level, there was a significant difference between the two group (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Camel milk regulates the expression of Th1/Th2-type cytokines, and corrects the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cytokine network, which could strengthen the cellular immune response, inhibit the replication of virus DNA, and promote the recovery of the chronic hepatitis B patients.
The Clinical Laboratory of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
Heinayat
H
Saltanat
Hui
H
Li
Yan
Y
Xu
Jie
J
Wang
Fang
F
Liu
Xin-hui
XH
Geng
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002162:Camelus; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000410:Alanine Transaminase