A preliminary study on the relationship between the expression frequency of CD31 molecule on T lymphocytes surface and chronic HBV infection

Objective To investigate the level of CD31 molecule expression on peripheral T lymphocytes of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and to study the relationship between the expression of CD31 molecule and serum ALT levels, serum levels of HBV DNA and HBeAg. Preliminarily explore the relationship between the expression frequency of CD31 molecule and patients CHB, in order to understand changes in different immune status when chronic HBV infecting. Methods A total of non-antiretroviral therapy 42 patients with CHB and 25 healthy volunteers were enrolled for the study. In peripheral blood, separated lymphocytes conventionally, the percentage of CD4+ 、CD8+ 、CD31+ 、CD31+ CD4+ 、CD31+ CD8+ 、CD31+ CD4+ /CD4+ 、CD31+ CD8+ /CD8+ cells were assessed by flow cytometry, serum ALT levels were tested by automatic biochemical analyzer, serum HBVDNA levels were determined by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, and the serological markers of HBV were examined through chemiluminescence simultaneously. Results The percentages of CD4+ 、CD31+ 、CD31+ CD4+ 、CD31+ CD4+ /CD4+ cells in patients with CHB were significantly less than the healthy(P 103-105 copies/ml), middle group (> 105-107 copies/ml) and higher group of HBVDNA (> 107-109 copies/ml) CD31 molecule expression frequency were on the rise, but no statistically significant difference were observed in the comparison between groups (P>0.05); the percentages of CD31+ 、CD31+ CD8+ 、CD31+ CD4+ /CD4+ cells in the HBeAg-negative group were significantly lower than HBeAg-positive group (P<0.05). Conclusions The frequency of CD31 molecule expression on peripheral T lymphocytes of patients with CHB were declined; there is a certain relationship between the frequency of CD31 molecule expression and serum ALT levels, different loads of HBVDNA, HBeAg positive or negative in patients with CHB; chronic HBV infection of immune status may be associated with T cell surface expression of CD31 molecule frequency. Key words: CD31 molecule; T lymphocytes; Hepatitis B chronic; Infection