[Association between CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and serum transforming growth factor beta 1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells are associated with serum TGF beta 1 in patients with hepatitis B.


METHODS
Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic asymptomatic carriers (AsC), normal subjects (NS) and the resolved from HBV infection (Resolved) were recruited in this study. Flow cytometric analysis was used to detect the frequency and phenotype of peripheral CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells, and Foxp3 gene expression were examined by real time PCR. Serum TGF beta 1 levels were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).


RESULTS
Patients with CHB or AsC exhibited significantly higher frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells compared to healthy controls. CD4+CD25+ T cells derived from patients with CHB and AsC expressed higher level of Foxp3-mRNA. Furthermore, the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells was correlated with serum HBV DNA copy numbers in patients with CHB and AsC. Our results indicated that the serum TGF beta was increased in CHB and AsC patients compared to control patients, and that serum TGF beta was correlated with the expression of Foxp3-mRNA and the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in patients with CHB and AsC.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings have important implication in the understanding of the role and mechanism of aberrant CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the maintenance of chronicity in hepatitis B patients.
Yang
Gui-lin
GL
The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Guangdong 518020, China.
Xu
Liu-mei
LM
Yao
Hong-yan
HY
Wang
Huo-sheng
HS
Jiang
Xiao-lin
XL
Li
Wei
W
Wang
Min
M
Zhou
Bo-ping
BP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
D015704:CD4 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta