Dynamic analysis of CD127 expression on memory CD8 T cells from patients with chronic hepatitis B during telbivudine treatment.
BACKGROUND
Accumulating evidence supports the theory that expression of CD127 on CD8 T cells during the process of antiviral immune response indicates a subset of effect CD8 T cells that successfully develop into fully protective memory. CD8 T cells expression of CD127 may be used as a predictor to evaluate disease status in chronic viral infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the CD127 expression level on different subsets of CD8 T cell and explore the relationship between CD127 expression on CD8 memory T cells and serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We also aimed to investigate the CD127 expression pattern on CD8 memory T cells of CHB patients who were treated with Telbivudine.


RESULTS
Twenty HBeAg-positive CHB patients were selected and treated with telbivudine 600 mg/day for 48 weeks. The memory CD8 T cells were characterized by expression of CD45RA and CD27 markers. CD127 expression on the CD8 T-cell surface was measured by four-colour flow cytometry. Our results showed that CD127 expression on memory CD8 T cells was reduced in CHB patients. There was a strong negative correlation between CD127 expression on memory CD8 T cells and serum HBV DNA and HBeAg levels in CHB patients. Moreover, successful antiviral therapy increased CD127 expression on CD8 memory T cells as well as on HBV-specific CD8 T cells in CHB patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that diminished CD127 expression on CD8 memory T cells of CHB patients is a potential mechanism explaining cellular immune function impairment in CHB infection, and that CD127 expression on CD8 memory T cells is a useful indicator for evaluating the effects of anti-HBV therapy.
Lv
Guocai
G
State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P R of China.
Ying
Linjung
L
Ma
Wen-Jiang
WJ
Jin
Xi
X
Zheng
Lin
L
Li
Lanjuan
L
Yang
Yida
Y
D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit; D009705:Nucleosides; D011744:Pyrimidinones; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine
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