title: [HBV infection in placental Hofbauer cells and the association with the level of HBV replication].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the clinical significance of Hofbauer cells of maternal placenta in hepatitis B virus (HBV) vertical infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hofbauer cells were isolated and purified from human placental villi by the methods of enzyme digestion, mechanical method and Ficoll-Hypaque separation. The Hofbauer cells were identified by anti-CD163 immunohistochemistry and the level of HBV-DNA in Hofbauer cells was detected by PCR. The expressions of CD16 (FcγRIII) mRNA and protein in Hofbauer cells were measured by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive detection rate of HBV-DNA in Hofbauer cells of HBV-infected pregnant women was 31.67% (19/60), and among them, the HBeAg⁺ and HBeAg⁻ were 46.4% (13/28) and 18.75% (6/32), respectively. The expressions of CD16 mRNA and protein in Hofbauer cells of patients with HBV-DNA were significantly higher than those in patients without HBV-DNA, and had an obvious correlation with the rate of HBV-DNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hofbauer cells as placental macrophages can be infected by HBV, and the infection rate is associated with the level of viral replication in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Aetiology and Immunology, Medical College, Anhui University of Science & Technology, Huainan 232001, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Aetiology and Immunology, Medical College, Anhui University of Science & Technology, Huainan 232001, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002824:Chorionic Villi / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D014779:Virus Replication; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19