title: [Relationship between serum HBV DNA level and follicular helper T lymphocyte in patients with chronic hepatitis B and its significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore relationship between HBV DNA level and peripheral blood follicular helper T lymphocyte (Tfh) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and its significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  HBV DNA levels of 179 cases of CHB patients with positive HBV DNA, positive HBeAg and positive human leukocyte antigen(HLA)-A2 were tested with real time fluorescent quantitative PCR. Tfh and HBV specific CTL were tested with flow cytometry. IL-21 was also tested. 179 cases of CHB patients were divided into group A and group B based on HBV DNA levels, 86 cases in group A, HBV DNA levels were 10(4)-10(5) copies/ml, 93 cases in group B, HBV DNA levels were 10(6)-10(7) copies/ml. Above testing indexes of the two groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HBV DNA levels of group A were (4.85 +/- 0.37) log10 copies/ml, HBV DNA levels of group B were (6.83 +/- 0.31 ) log10 copies/ml, t = 27.31, P < 0. 001; Tfh of group A was (5.96 +/- 1.59)%, higher than that of group B (3.71 +/- 2.15)%, t = 4.92, P < 0.01; IL-21 of group A was (42.61 +/- 15.11)ng/L, higher than that of group B (14.91 +/- 3.15) ng/L, t = 8.62, P < 0.01; HBV specific CTL of group A was (0.36 +/- 0.08)%, higher than that of group B (0.18 +/- 0.06)%, t = 19.99, P < 0.001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum HBV DNA level of CHB patients is related to the level of peripheral blood Tfh level: patients with low HBV DNA level have high Tfh level, high IL-21 level and high HBV specific CTL level. Patients with high HBV DNA level have low Tfh level, low IL-21 level and low HBV specific CTL level. The mechanism of baseline HBV DNA level affecting anti-viral therapy may be related to Tfh level.
authors.forename: Juan-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xi-Bing
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Yin-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yue-Qin
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhong-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology*; D000098546:Interleukin-21
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D007378:Interleukins; D000098546:Interleukin-21