title: Decreased peripheral natural killer cells activity in the immune activated stage of chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The natural course of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is characterized by different immune responses, ranging from immune tolerant (IT) to immune activated (IA) stages. In our study, we investigated the natural killer (NK) cells activity in patients at different immunological stages of chronic HBV infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples obtained from 57 HBeAg positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), including 15 patients in the immune tolerant (IT) stage, 42 patients in the immune activated (IA) stage, and 18 healthy individuals (HI). The analyses included flow cytometry to detect NK cells, the determination of cytokine levels as well as of surface receptor expression and cytotoxicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NK cells in peripheral blood were significantly lower in patients in the IA stage of CHB compared to HI (p<0.05). Patients in the IA stage of CHB had lower levels of NK cells activating receptor NKp30 and NKG2D expression, cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production, as compared to patients in the IT stage and HI, respectively (p<0.05). Cytotoxicity of NK cells was lower in patients in the IA stage of CHB compared to patients in the IT stage and HI, respectively (p<0.05). The level of IFN-γ but not level of TNF-α and cytotoxicity of NK cells was inversely correlated with serum HBV load in patients with CHB. Peripheral NK cells activity did not correlate with ALT level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NK cells activity was lower in CHB patients, especially in those in the IA stage.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Jiu-Jun
authors: JJ
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Shan
authors: S
authors: Gao
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Jia
authors: J
authors: Bai
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Xue-Qi
authors: XQ
authors: Zhao
authors: Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: You-Hua
authors: YH
authors: Hao
authors: Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Hong-Hui
authors: HH
authors: Ding
authors: Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Fan
authors: F
authors: Zhu
authors: Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Dong-Liang
authors: DL
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, P. R. China.
authors: Xi-Ping
authors: XP
authors: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000410:Alanine Transaminase