Detection of T lymphocyte subsets and mIL-2R on surface of PBMC in patients with hepatitis B

AIM: To study the levels of T lymphocyte subsets and membrane interleukin-2 receptor (mIL-2R) on surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with hepatitis B and its role in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B. METHODS: The levels of T lymphocyte subsets and mIL-2R in PBMC before and after being stimulated with PHA were detected by biotin-streptavidin (BSA) technique in 196 cases of hepatitis B. RESULTS: In patients with hepatitis B, the levels of CD3+, CD4+ cells, and the ratio of CD4+ cells/CD8+ cells were lower, but the level of CD8+ cells was higher than those in normal controls (42.20+/-6.01 vs 65.96+/-654, 38.17+/-5.93 vs 41.73+/-6.40, 0.91+/-0.28 vs 1.44+/-0.31, 39.86+/-6.36 vs 30.02+/-4.54, P<0.01). The total expression level of mIL-2R in PBMC before and after being stimulated with PHA was also lower than those in normal controls (3.47+/-1.55 vs 4.52+/-1.49, 34.03+/-2.94 vs 37.95+/-3.00, P<0.01). In all the patients with hepatitis B, the levels of T lymphocyte subsets and mIL-2R in PBMC with HBV-DNA (+) were lower than those with HBV-DNA (-), which were significantly different (39.57+/-7.11 vs44.36+/-5.43, 34.36+/-7.16 vs 40.75+/-5.87, 37.82+/-6.54 vs 41.72+/-6.21, 0.88+/-0.33 vs 0.99+/-0.27, 2.82+/-1.62 vs 3.85+/-1.47, 31.56+/-3.00 vs 35.84+/-2.83, P<0.01). In addition, the levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ cells, the ratio of CD4+ cells /CD8+ cells and mIL-2R among different courses of hepatitis B were all significantly different (F=3 723.18, P<0.01. F=130.43, P<0.01. F=54.01, P<0.01. F=2.99, P<0.05. F=7.16, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Both cellular and humoral immune functions are obviously in disorder in patients with hepatitis B, which might be closely associated with the chronicity in patients.