title: Effect of entecavir on CD4+ T-cell subpopulations in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: Background and aims. CD4+ T cells play an important role in response to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We investigated the change in CD4+ T-cell subpopulations and viral load in patients with chronic HBV infection who were treated with entecavir.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with chronic HBV infection were enrolled according to the criteria recommended by the Chinese Society of Infectious Diseases and the Chinese Society of Hepatology. The expressions of signature transcription factors and cytokines of CD4+ T-cell subpopulations were measured in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with entecavir treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Entecavir treatment significantly attenuated hepatitis B virus DNA load and affected the CD4+ T-cell subsets in CHB patients. A dramatic decrease in the Th17 and Treg cell frequencies and expressions of their related cytokines were found in CHB patients with entecavir treatment. In contrast, entecavir treatment caused a remarkable increase in the Th2 cell frequencies and expressions of their related cytokines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggested that Th17 and Treg cells were the more sensitive subtypes to entecavir- induced inhibition of HBV replication compared to Th1 and Th2 cells in chronic HBV patients.
authors: Institute for Infectious Diseases, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Shapingba, Chongqing, China; Department of Infectious Diseases, the 161 Hospital of People's Liberation Army, WuHan, Hubei Province, China.
authors: Zhan-Fei
authors: ZF
authors: Tian
authors: Institute for Infectious Diseases, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Shapingba, Chongqing, China.
authors: Zhong-Lan
authors: ZL
authors: You
authors: Institute for Infectious Diseases, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Shapingba, Chongqing, China; The First People Hospital of Yibin, Yibin, Sichuan Province, China.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Yi
authors: Institute for Infectious Diseases, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Shapingba, Chongqing, China.
authors: Xue-Mei
authors: XM
authors: Kuang
authors: Institute for Infectious Diseases, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Shapingba, Chongqing, China.
authors: Yu-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004279:DNA, Viral; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine