title: Direct role of antibody-secreting B cells in the severity of chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: Chronic hepatitis B involves different immune cells. The direct role of antibody-secreting B cells in the severity of chronic hepatitis B unclear. In this study, the number of plaque forming cells [PFC-(IgG, IgM, anti-HBc IgG, and anti-HBc IgM)], liver function tests (LFT) [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total serum bilirubin (TSB)], the levels of IL-10 in sera and in lymphocyte cultures, the number of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells were measured in the peripheral blood of patients and in the controls. In addition, the hepatocytotoxic effect of anti-HBc and anti-HBe in vitro was studied. The largest number of PFCs was observed in the peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B. This was concomitant with a decrease in CD4(+) /CD8(+) ratio versus this ratio in asymptomatic HBV carriers and in healthy volunteers (P < 0.05). An increase in immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM) levels, anti-HBc IgG, and anti-HBc IgM levels and LFTs in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B was seen. Anti-HBc induced hepatocytotoxicity in vitro. The expression of mRNA and protein for IL-10 production was observed at a significant level in culture of lymphocytes isolated from patients with chronic hepatitis B. In addition, a high level of IL-10 was found only in the sera of patients with chronic hepatitis B. It is concluded that the antibody-secreting B cells and the antibodies, which are produced, play an important role in the severity of chronic hepatitis B, which was related negatively with CD4(+) /CD8(+) ratio and positively with IL-10 expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq; Central Public Health Laboratory, Baghdad, Iraq.
authors.forename: Ayaid Khadem
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Zgair
authors.forename: Jenan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ghafil
authors.forename: Razaq H E
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Al-Sayidi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004798:Enzymes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000032:analysis; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004798:Enzymes; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: IL-10; T lymphocytes; chronic hepatitis B; liver function tests; plaque forming cells