Expression and clinical significance of CD4~+ CD25~+Treg in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Objective To compare the effects of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ and CD4+CD25+CD127-/low gating on CD4+CD25+Treg and explore the expression and dinical significance of CD4+CD25+Treg in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.Methods The frequency of CD4+CD25+CD127-/low Treg in the peripheral blood from 52 chronic hepatitis B patients,24 chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers,24 inactive HBsAg carriers and 25 healthy controls were measured by flow cytometry with CD4+CD25+CD127-/low gating.Furthermore,healthy controls and 21 chronic hepatitis B were measured by flow cytometry with CD4+CD25+FoxP3+.HBV DNA levels were measured by real-time PCR.Results There was a significant positive correlation between the results of CD4+CD25+CD127-/low gating and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ gating(r=0.506,P0.05;r=0.556,P0.01).There was significant difference in the frequency of CD4+CD25+CD127-/lowTreg between chronic hepatitis B patients(10.65±2.86)and the other groups(P0.01).The level of Treg in chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers(8.56±2.01)was higher than that in healthy controls(7.33±1.17).There was no correlation between serum HBV DNA levels and the frequency of Treg in chronic hepatitis B patients and chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers;No statistical was difference in the frequency of Treg between chronic hepatitis B patients of HBeAg positive and negative.Conclusion It suggested that there was a significant positive correlation between the results of CD4+CD25+CD127-/low gating and CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ gating,and the former was more easily performed and practicable.The level of Treg in CHB patients and chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers is higher than that in health controls.The finding suggested that Treg plays an important role in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.