Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 28, 2010; 16(48): 6145-6150
Published online Dec 28, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i48.6145
Pegylated interferon α-2b up-regulates specific CD8+ T cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B
Ji Chen, Yan Wang, Xue-Jie Wu, Jun Li, Feng-Qin Hou, Gui-Qiang Wang
Ji Chen, Yan Wang, Xue-Jie Wu, Jun Li, Feng-Qin Hou, Gui-Qiang Wang, Department of Infectious Diseases, Center for Liver Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China
Author contributions: Chen J and Wang Y contributed equally to this work; Chen J performed the laboratory work and wrote the paper; Wang Y collected the clinical samples and data, joined part in writing; Wu XJ performed the laboratory work; Li J and Hou FQ collected the samples and the data; Wang GQ designed the project and prepared the writing and supported all the work.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30771905; National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program), No. 2007CB512800; Mega-projects of Science Research, No. 008ZX10002-008; Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission, No. D08050700650803
Correspondence to: Gui-Qiang Wang, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chairman of Department of Infectious Diseases, Center for Liver Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8, Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 10034, China. wanggq@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-10-66551122 Fax: +86-10-66551680
Received: July 7, 2010
Revised: September 26, 2010
Accepted: October 3, 2010
Published online: December 28, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effect of pegylated interferon (IFN) α-2b on specific CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODS: Twenty-one patients with CHB were treated with pegylated IFN α-2b. Periphery blood mononuclear cells were isolated from fresh heparinized blood by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient centrifugation (density: 1.077 g/L, Pharmingen) at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24, respectively. Frequency of circulating hepatitis B virus (HBV) epitope-specific CD8 T cells was detected by flow cytometry. Cytokines were detected by cytometric bead assay.

RESULTS: The frequency of circulating HBV core or env-specific CD8 T cells was higher (P < 0.05), the number of HBV core specific CD8 T cells was greater at week 24 (P < 0.05), the level of Th1-type cytokines [interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IFN-γ] was higher, while that of Th2-type cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10) was lower in responders than in non-responders (P < 0.05) after pegylated IFN α-2b treatment. The IL-6 level was correlated with HBV DNA (r = 0.597, P = 0.04), while the inducible protein-10 (IP-10) level was correlated with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (r = 0.545, P = 0.005). The IP-10 level at week 8 after pegylated IFN α-2b treatment could predict the normalization of ALT in CHB patients (positive predict value = 56%, negative predict value = 92%).

CONCLUSION: Pegylated IFN α-2b can enhance the immune response of CHB patients by increasing the frequency of HBV specific CD8+ T cells and regulating the Th1/Th2 cytokines.

Keywords: Chronic hepatitis B; Pegylated interferon α-2b therapy; Immune response; Cytokine