Study on the function of circulating plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the immunoactive phase of patients with chronic genotype B and C HBV infection

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection induces a wide range of chronic liver injury. The mechanism by which HBV evades the immune surveillance system remains obscure. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) seem to be the major endogenous interferon (IFN)-alpha producers and represent one of the most important cell types in the regulation of antiviral innate immunity; however, the phenotype and function of pDCs in patients infected by HBV with different genotypes are yet to be determined. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the numbers and function of peripheral blood pDCs in the immune clearing phase of chronic HBV infection with genotypes B and C. Fifty-six patients with persistent HBV infection were included in this study, with 19 age-matched healthy subjects being used as a control group. The frequencies of pDCs were analysed by flow cytometry, and the IFN-alpha produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after stimulation with cytidine phosphate guanosine (CpG) oligonucleotides for 24 h was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The genotypes of HBV were detected by polymerase chain reaction and hybridization. The results showed that the frequency and IFN-alpha-producing capacity of peripheral blood pDCs were dramatically reduced and relatively inversely correlated with the level of serum alanine aminotransferase in both groups of patients with chronic genotype B and C HBV infection. A lower reduction of IFN-alpha production by CpG-stimulated PBMCs was found in patients with genotype C than in those with genotype B in the phase of immune clearance. In conclusion, the frequency and IFN-alpha-producing capacity of peripheral blood pDCs were dramatically reduced in the immunoactive phase of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Furthermore, the lower reduction in IFN-alpha production in patients with genotype C than in those with genotype B may correlate with the outcome of antiviral treatment in CHB patients and the progression of liver inflammation.

[Phenotype of peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived dendritic cells from patients with chronic hepatitis B.]

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to access phenotype changes of dendritic cells (DC) cultured from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B and to reveal the relationship between phenotype of DC and ALT or HBV DNA.

METHODS

Indices of ALT and serum HBV DNA were measured in 37 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 21 healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from all patients and healthy controls, and cultured with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stumilating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-)in RPMI 1640 medium that contained 10% fetal calf serum. After culturing for 7 days, the DC was counted and the phenotypes were detected by FACS. Then the data were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

The DC was significantly fewer (P less than 0.05) in patients with chronic hepatitis B than the controls. In particular, the expressive level of CD83 and CD86 on DC's surface from patients with chronic hepatitis B were also significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than that from the controls. In the patients with hepatitis B, the indices of DC had a significantly negative correlation with the level of serum HBV DNA (P less than 0.05), but no significant relationship was found between ALT and indices of DC (P greater than 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The DC cultured from patients with chronic hepatitis B were few and had immature phenotype. These changes had a significantly negative correlation with the level of serum HBV DNA, but had not correlation with the inflammatory reaction levels in the liver. DC was associated with the clearance of HBV in patients with hepatitis B.

[Nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate nitric oxide (NO) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODS

Nitric oxide and nitric oxide synthase, including inducible NOS (iNOS) and constitutive NOS (cNOS), were measured in patients and control groups, then were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

NO and iNOS were significantly higher in patients with hepatitis B than in the controls (P < 0.05). NO and iNOS were significantly higher in patients with increased ALT than in the controls and in patients with normal ALT (P < 0.05). NO was significantly higher in patients with normal ALT than in the controls (P < 0.05). cNOS were not significant different among these groups. NO and iNOS significantly correlated with ALT in patients with hepatitis B (r=0.367 and r=0.474). No significant relationship was found among NO, NOS and HBV DNA. Among different genotype groups, NO and NOS had no significant difference.

CONCLUSION

NO and NOS were higher in patents with chronic hepatitis B. In patients with increased ALT, NO's damage was severe. In patients with normal ALT, there was no significant damage caused by NO. NO should be detected in patients with hepatitis B in addition to HBV markers.

[Oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis B]

BACKGROUND

To study oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODS

Malondialdehyde (MDA), total anti-oxidative ability and ascorbic acid were measured as markers of oxidative stress in 30 patients with chronic hepatitis B, besides HBV DNA and ALT.

RESULTS

MDA was significantly higher in patients with hepatitis B than the controls (P less than 0.05). Ascorbic acid was significantly higher in patients with normal ALT than the controls (P less than 0.01). MDA was significantly higher in patients with increased ALT than the controls and in patients with normal ALT. MDA was significantly positively correlated with ALT (r=0.61), and ascorbic acid was significantly negatively correlated with ALT (r=-0.64) in patients with hepatitis B. No significant relationship was found between HBV DNA and other indices of oxidative stress. No significant difference in total anti-oxidative ability was found among all groups.

CONCLUSION

There was a disturbance between oxidative stress and anti-oxidative ability in patients with chronic hepatitis B. In patients with increased ALT, oxidative stress became high. In patients with normal ALT, oxidative stress level was low. The indices of oxidative stress should be detected in patients with hepatitis B, in addition to HBV markers.

[Hemorheologic changes in patients with liver diseases]

BACKGROUND

To study the variation of the hemorheology and microcirculation in different period of liver diseases.

METHODS

Indices for hemorheology, liver function, HBV DNA and transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) DNA were measured in 82 patients with liver diseases and correlative analysis was made.

RESULTS

The low-shear whole blood viscosity (BV) and RBC aggregation index were significantly higher in hepatitis B group than those in the control group (P less than 0.05). No correlation was found between HBV DNA and indices of hemorheology (P greater than 0.05). The high-shear and low-shear BV and hematocrit (HCT) were significantly lower in decompensated cirrhosis group than those in the control group (P less than 0.05). RBC aggregation index, plasma viscosity (PV) and the low-shear BV were significantly higher in compensated cirrhosis group than those in the control group (P less than 0.05). The high-shear and low-shear BV were significantly higher in TTV positive group than those in the control group.

CONCLUSION

There is disturbance of microcirculation in the body of patients with hepatitis B or TTV infection. The blood of patients with compensated cirrhosis is in highly viscose status and in low viscose status in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. TTV seems to be harmful to some degree to the body. The hemorheology should be an index in detecting liver diseases in addition to HBV markers.