Relationship between HBV DNA replication and T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B

Objective To explore the relationship between replication of Hepatitis B virus(HBV) DNA and T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B.Methods The relative percentage of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of 81 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 30 healthy controls was analyzed by flow cytometry.The serum load of HBV DNA was measured by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR).Results Compared with healthy controls,the patients with chronic hepatitis B had a decreased percentage of CD3+ and CD4+ T cells,a decreased CD4+/CD8+ ratio,and an increased percentage of CD8+ T cells.Compared with healthy controls,the HBV DNA-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B had a significant change only in CD4+/CD8+ ratio.The HBV DNA-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B had a significant variation in the percentages of CD3+,CD4+,CD8+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio,but there were no significant differences in the percentages of CD3+,CD4+,CD8+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ ratio between high copies group and low copies group.Conclusions Down-regulation of immunological function of patients with chronic hepatitis B is correlated to the replication of HBV.The disorder of immunological function can be promoted by HBV DNA replication.