PERIPHERAL-BLOOD CD4-MEDIATED ENHANCEMENT AND CD8-MEDIATED SUPPRESSION IN THE PRESENCE OF RECOMBINANT HEPATITIS-B VIRUS CORE ANTIGEN

The proliferative response of peripheral blood T cells to hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) was studied in hepatitis B patients. CD4+ T cells from patients with chronic active hepatitis type B(CAH-B) exhibited a significant proliferative response to HBcAg, especially in hepatitis B envelope antigen (HBcAg)-positive patients. In contrast, there was no apparent T cell reaction to HBcAg in patients with CAH non-A, non-B, HBcAg-positive healthy carriers and in healthy volunteers. The proliferative response to CD4+ cells to bacterial extracts of Escherichia coli was always insignificant in all patients and healthy volunteers. The CD8+ cells did not proliferate in response to HBcAg in any subject, even in the presence of autologous irradiated CD4+ responder cells. The CD8+ cells, preactivated with HBcAg and HBcAg-reactive irradiated autologous CD4+ cells, suppressed the proliferative response to autologous CD4+ cells to HBcAg but not the response to phytohemagglutinin in HBcAg-responder CAH-B patients. CD4-mediated HBcAg-specific enhancement and CD8-mediated HBcAg-specific suppression in the peripheral blood compartments of HBcAg-responsive CAH-B patients are possible. © 1990, University of Chicago. All rights reserved.