Immunologic characterization of posthepatitis cirrhosis caused by HBV and HCV infection.
No specific treatment can reverse the liver injury in cirrhosis. This study aims to characterize immune status and correlations between cirrhosis induced by HBV and HCV. Phenotypes of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (T, NK, regulatory T cells) and Th cytokine secretion were analyzed using flow cytometry in 42 HBV-cirrhotic and 40 HCV-cirrhotic patients. Cirrhotic patients had a lower proportion of CD3(+)CD8(+)T cells and NK cells, while the proportion of CD3(+)CD4(+)T cells and Treg cells were higher than those of healthy controls. The levels of Th2 cytokine (IL-6) in cirrhotic patients were increased, while only the Th1 cytokine (IFN-gamma) increased in HBV-cirrhotic patients. These findings show that there is no difference between the cirrhotic groups except in the IFN-gamma level. In cirrhosis, defects in innate, adaptive immune cells are likely regardless of which virus is involved. A cytokine imbalance may play a role in the development of posthepatitic cirrhosis.
Li
Wan-Yu
WY
Department of Hepatology, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
Jiang
Yan-Fang
YF
Jin
Qing-Long
QL
Zhang
Hong
H
Feng
Xiang-Wei
XW
Niu
Jun-Qi
JQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007378:Interleukins; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D015704:CD4 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D007378:Interleukins; D007371:Interferon-gamma