title: Induction and Maintenance of Anti-HBs in Immunosuppressed Rats After Liver Transplantation with HBsAg-pulsed Dendritic Cell Complex.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-pulsed dendritic cell (DC) complex in the induction and maintenance of anti-HBs in immunosuppressed rats after liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lewis-Brown Norway (BN) rat liver transplantation models were successfully established. Recipients were injected with tacrolimus (2 mg/Kg) daily post-operation for three months to maintain immunosuppression state; the recipients were then randomly divided into two groups: HBsAg-DC group (n=15) comprised rats intraperitoneally injected with HBsAg-DC complex at 14 and 28 d post-surgery and HBsAg group (n=15) comprised rats injected with HBsAg (200 μL) once a week for 12 weeks. Untreated rats post-transplantation were included in the control group (n=5). Histopathological changes were detected by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy; mRNA expressions of IL-2 and IFN-γ in graft liver were analyzed through real-time polymerase chain reaction. Serum IL-2 and IFN-γ levels and anti-HB titer were detected through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Changes in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the blood were detected through flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-2 and IFN-γ expressions were lower in HBsAg-DC and HBsAg groups than in the control group (P<0.05). A high FK506 dose also induced a milder allograft rejection than the control dose. These findings showed that a high FK506 dose caused immunosuppression in rats after liver transplantation. A high anti-HB titer was detected in the HBsAg-DC group in one, two, and three months post-operation; by contrast, anti-HB titer was barely detected in the HBsAg group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High anti-HB titers could be induced and maintained in immunosuppressed rats; therefore, HBsAg-DC complex may prevent HBV reinfection after recipients undergo liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yakun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Shengwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Yue Bei People's Hospital, Shaoguan, Guangdong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens