Relationships between the phenotypes, the capacity of antigen presenting of peripheral blood dendritic cells and the loads of HBV in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Objective To Study the relationships between the phenotypes, the capacity of antigen presenting of peripheral blood dendritic cells(DCS) and the loads of HBV in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods The peripheral blood samples were obtained from 23 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 8 healthy individuals. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated. DCs were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and enriched by culturing with recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhIL-4) and recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF), then DCs were harvested and the molecules of CD80, CD86, HLA-DR as well as ICAM-1 on DCs were tested by indirect immunofluorescence flow cytometry. The matured DCs after culture were incubated with HBsAg,then after treated with mytomycin C, DCs were mixed with autogenous PBMCs and cocultured. () 3H-TDR was added to the culture 12 hours before stopping the culture, and all the cells were collected and cpm values were measured. The loads of HBV were measured with fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR).Results The levels of CD86, HLA-DR and ICAM-1 expressed on DCs, and the capacity of antigen presenting of DCs in patients' group were remarkably lower than those in control group, respectively. A significantly negative correlation was noted between the expressed level of CD80, CD86, HLA-DR, ICAM-1 on DCs and the loads of HBV (P0.01, P0.01, P0.001 and P0.001, respectively), and also could be found between antigen presenting capacity of DCs and the HBV loads. (P0.001). Conclusion The function and maturation of DCs were injured in patients with CHB. The functional status of DCs may closely correlate with the loads of HBV, and thus may exert important influence on the clearance of HBV.