title: Efficacy of HBV-pulsed DCs in combination with entecavir in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DCs) are multifunctional cells that initiate adaptive immune responses. Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have reduced numbers of DCs which may be functionally impaired, a defect that may contribute to viral persistence. Autologous DC-based immunotherapy is considered to be a treatment option for chronic HBV infection (CHB). We evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of HBV-pulsed DCs in combination with the antiviral drug entecavir in patients with CHB. Eighty patients were divided into four groups: HBV-pulsed DCs only, HBV-pulsed DCs plus entecavir, entecavir only, and an untreated control group. Patients on combination therapy exhibited greater antiviral responses than patients on either monotherapy. The combination of HBV-pulsed DCs and entecavir resulted in the largest reduction in serum viral DNA levels and the highest percentage of virologic response. In addition, combination therapy resulted in viral e antigen (HBeAg) loss and seroconversion. These results suggest that the combination of HBV-pulsed autologous DCs and entecavir could be therapeutically advantageous for patients with CHB.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Mei-Juan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Xing-Nan
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Kai-Peng
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Man
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Clinical Liver Center, 180th Hospital of People's Liberation Army, Quanzhou 362000, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Kun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D064987:Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069078:Seroconversion; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine
keywords: Chronic hepatitis B; Dendritic cells; HBV-pulsed DC; Immunotherapy