title: [Association between CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and serum transforming growth factor beta 1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B].
abstract: 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.
authors: The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Guangdong 518020, China.
authors: Gui-lin
authors: GL
authors: Yang
authors: Liu-mei
authors: LM
authors: Xu
authors: Hong-yan
authors: HY
authors: Yao
authors: Huo-sheng
authors: HS
authors: Wang
authors: Xiao-lin
authors: XL
authors: Jiang
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Wang
authors: Bo-ping
authors: BP
authors: Zhou
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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