Correlation of T-lymphocyte Subsets with Serum HBV DNA Loads and HBeAg Title among Different Clinical Types of Hepatitis B Patients

Objective: To investigate the relationship between T-lymphocyte subsets and HBV DNA levels and serum hepatitis B e-antigen(HBeAg) status in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection.Methods: 103 patients with chronic HBV infection and 20 healthy blood donors were included in the study.The peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets in these patients were determined by flow cytometry.The serum HBVDNA levels were assessed by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and HBeAg status were tested by enzyme immunoassay.Results: The percentages of CD3+,CD4+T lymphocytes in peripheral blood and CD4+/CD8+ ratios in Chronic Hepatitis B(CHB) patients and HBV carriers were significantly lower than those in control patients(all P0.05 or 0.01);In contrast,the percentages of CD8+T lymphocytes showed the opposite trend,and there were also statistically significant.HBV replication level had a positive correlation with the CD8+T lymphocytes and negative correlation with the ratio of CD4+/CD8+T lymphocyte in HBeAg negtive patients.However,there was no corelational relationship between the HBV DNA level and the CD3+T,CD4+T,CD8+T and the ratio of CD4+T/CD8+T lymphocytes subpopulations in HBeAg positive patients,nor did with the HBeAg level increased.Conclusion: Cellular immune function decreased and immune dysregulation in various clinical types of chronic HBV infected patients.HBV DNA level is positively correlated with the cellular immune status in the patients with HBeAg negative chronic hepatitis B.