title: Pegylated interferon α-2b up-regulates specific CD8+ T cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to investigate the effect of pegylated interferon (IFN) α-2b on specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
  
  
  METHODS
  twenty-one patients with CHB were treated with pegylated IFN α-2b. Periphery blood mononuclear cells were isolated from fresh heparinized blood by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation (density: 1.077 g/L, Pharmingen) at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24, respectively. Frequency of circulating hepatitis B virus (HBV) epitope-specific CD8 T cells was detected by flow cytometry. Cytokines were detected by cytometric bead assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the frequency of circulating HBV core or env-specific CD8 T cells was higher (P < 0.05), the number of HBV core specific CD8 T cells was greater at week 24 (P < 0.05), the level of Th1-type cytokines [interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IFN-γ] was higher, while that of Th2-type cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10) was lower in responders than in non-responders (P < 0.05) after pegylated IFN α-2b treatment. The IL-6 level was correlated with HBV DNA (r = 0.597, P = 0.04), while the inducible protein-10 (IP-10) level was correlated with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (r = 0.545, P = 0.005). The IP-10 level at week 8 after pegylated IFN α-2b treatment could predict the normalization of ALT in CHB patients (positive predict value = 56%, negative predict value = 92%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pegylated IFN α-2b can enhance the immune response of CHB patients by increasing the frequency of HBV specific CD8+ T cells and regulating the Th1/Th2 cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Center for Liver Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8, Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 10034, China.
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xue-Jie
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Feng-Qin
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Gui-Qiang
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b