title: T helper cell dysregulation with hepatitis B and rebalance with glucocorticoids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate T helper 17/regulatory T cell alterations in early severe hepatitis B and the effect of glucocorticoids.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 20 patients in the early stage of severe hepatitis B (SHB) and 11 healthy controls. All patients had elevated T helper 17 (Th17) levels, decreased regulatory T (Treg) cell levels, and significant Th17/Treg ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After glucocorticoid treatment, 16 patients showed improvement with significant decreases in Th17 levels, increases in Treg, and rebalanced Th17/Treg ratios. The four patients who showed no improvement had increases in both Th17 and Treg levels and an even higher Th17/Treg ratio than before.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glucocorticoid treatment can rectify Th17/Treg dysregulation in patients with SHB.
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Juan-Juan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Shou-Gang
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kuai
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: He-Juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhao-Xia
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Zhong-Hua Lu, Xiao-Ping Huang, Wei Sun, Yi-Ling Zhu, Juan-Juan Cui, Jian-He Gan, Department of Infectious Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-He
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Gan
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D008775:Methylprednisolone
keywords: Dysregulation; Glucocorticoid; Regulatory T cell; Severe hepatitis B; T helper 17 cell