title: Kinetics of Th17 cytokines during telbivudine therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: Th17 cells and the secreting cytokines play an important role in the immune response and inflammation that is induced by hepatitis B virus (HBV). However, it remains not fully elucidated how the antiviral agents affect Th17 cytokines and signal pathway. Telbivudine therapy has been proved to inhibit HBV replication effectively and to improve clinical outcome of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Thus, in this study, the effect of decrease in viral load and liver dysfunction resulting from telbivudine treatment on Th17 cells and the related cytokines IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23 were analyzed. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum from twenty-four CHB patients were harvested at 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks after initiation of telbivudine treatment. In parallel to the reduction of HBV DNA and normalization of serum ALT, significant declines in circulating HBV-specific Th17 cells and IL-22 production were found during antiviral therapy. The expression of serum IL-22 and IL-23, but not IL-17 also decreased during therapy. Our findings suggest that antiviral effect of telbivudine may attribute to both direct virus inhibition and regulation of inflammation, which further improve the understanding of pathogenesis of HBV infection and develop antiviral strategy for controlling viral hepatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University , Xi'an, Shannxi Province, China .
authors.forename: Chunqiu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Jiuping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wenzhen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yumei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Meijuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xuefan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Jianqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Zhansheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D000077712:Telbivudine; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000097043:Interleukin-22
chemical_list: D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053759:Interleukin-23; D007378:Interleukins; D000077712:Telbivudine; D013936:Thymidine; D000097043:Interleukin-22