The correlation between T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood and HBV DNA levels as well as HBeAg in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-7386.2014.13.006

Abstract：Objective To investigate the relationship between T-lymphocyte subsets and HBV DNA levels ,HBeAg in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus ( HBV) infection.Methods The 40 cases of chronic hepatitis ( CHB),35 cases of chronic severe hepatitis B ( CSHB) ,30 cases of liver cirrhosis ( LC) and 32 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study .The T lymphocyte subsets and HBV DNA load in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry and fluorescence quantitative PCR for all the patients and healthy subjects .Results The CD4+subset was significantly decreased in CHB group ,as compared with that in control group ( P <0.05);the CD3+,CD4+subsets,the ratio of CD4+/CD8+in CSHB group and LC group were gradually decreased,however,CD8+subset was gradually increased ,as compared with those in control group ( P <0.05).HBV DNA load was negatively correlated to CD 4+subset,ratio of CD4+/CD8+( r =-0.638,-0.778, P <0.05),however,which was positively correlated to CD8+subset ( r =0.647, P <0.05),moreover,which was not related with CD 3+subset.As compared with those of patients with positive HBeAg ,the CD+3 subset ,CD4+subset and CD 8+subset in peripheral blood of patients with negative HBeAg were significantly decreased ( P <0.05 ).Conclusion The cellular immune function in patients with chronic HBV infection is progressively decreased with the aggravation of disease condition , which is closely correlated to the levels of virus replication ,and it is one of the reasons that results in chronicity of disease .The changing trend of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood can be regarded as a reliable index for evaluating disease ’s prognosis.