title: Reciprocal changes of naïve and effector/memory CD8+ T lymphocytes in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Persistent viruses, such as cytomegalovirus or human immunodeficiency virus, cause major perturbations of CD8+ T-lymphocyte subpopulations. To test whether chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) could also be responsible for such modifications, we analyzed the expression of CD27, CD28, CCR7, and perforin in blood CD8+ T lymphocytes. In comparison to healthy subjects and patients recovering from acute hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis B patients showed higher percentages of naïve CD8+ T lymphocytes (CD45RA+CD27+CD28+), and lower percentages of intermediately-differentiated CD27+CD28⁻CD8+ T cells. The late differentiated CD45RA+CD27⁻CD28⁻ subset was also present in a large percentage in some patients, but no statistically significant difference with healthy controls was observed. Removal from the circulation of intermediately-differentiated CD8+ T lymphocytes may occur during chronic HBV infection, favoring the recruitment of naïve cells. This may result in impairment of the generation of functionally-competent memory cells, and an inability to achieve control of HBV replication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carotenuto
authors.forename: Andrè
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Artsen
authors.forename: Albert D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Osterhaus
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pontesilli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D018106:CD28 Antigens; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens