OBJECTIVETo investigate the expressions of perforin (PF), granzyme B (GrB), granulysin (GNLY), TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in peripheral CD8+ T lymphocytes and their correlation to infection status in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODSALT, AST, TB and HBV DNA copy were detected to evaluate the infection status in CHB patients, with healthy volunteers serving as the control group. According to the infection status, the CHB patients were divided into 4 groups, namely normal hepatic function and high HBV DNA level group, normal hepatic function and low HBV DNA level group, abnormal hepatic function and high HBV DNA level group and abnormal hepatic function and low HBV DNA level group. The expressions of some immune effector molecules in CD8+T cells were detected by flow cytometry, and the correlations between these immune effector molecules and the infection status were analyzed.

RESULTSThe expressions of GrB, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in normal hepatic function and low HBV DNA level group were significantly higher than those in abnormal hepatic function and high HBV DNA level group (P<0.05). The expression of IFN-gamma in normal hepatic function and high HBV DNA level group was significantly higher than that in abnormal hepatic function and high HBV DNA level group (P<0.05). The expressions of PF and GNLY were similar among all the 4 groups. Positive correlations were noted between GrB, PF, GNLY, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma.

CONCLUSIONGrB, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in peripheral CD8+ T cells are inversely correlated to hepatic dysfunction and HBV DNA level in CHB patients.