OBJECTIVETo investigate the phenotypes and functions of cord blood dendritic cells of fetuses whose mothers are patients with chronic hepatitis B.

METHODSPeripheral blood and cord blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from whole blood by density gradient centrifugation with Ficoll-Hypaque. The adherent cells were cultured in AIM-V medium containing recombinant human IL-4, TNF-alpha and GM-CSF. On day 9, mature DCs (mDC) were harvested and used for phenotype analysis. The amounts of IL-12 which dendritic cells produced were measured. The dendritic cells that were studied and compared were from cord blood of fetuses of both CHB positive and negative mothers and from CHC adult peripheral blood.

RESULTSThe expression rate of CD80 and CD83 of chronic hepatitis B mother cord blood dendritic cells was low compared with that of the healthy cord blood, healthy adult peripheral blood, and chronic hepatitis B adult peripheral blood, P < 0.05. The amount of IL-12 produced by chronic hepatitis B mother cord blood dendritic cells was lower than that of healthy cord blood, healthy adult peripheral blood, chronic hepatitis B adult peripheral blood (P < 0.05). The T lymphocyte proliferation inducing ability of dendritic cells of healthy adult peripheral blood was higher in inducing cord blood T lymphocytes proliferation, which was greater than that of the healthy adult peripheral blood in inducing adult T lymphocytes and was greater than that of the healthy cord blood dendritic cells in inducing cord blood T lymphocytes, which was greater than that of the healthy cord blood in inducing adult T lymphocytes, which was greater than that of chronic hepatitis B mothers in inducing cord blood T lymphocytes, which was greater than that of chronic hepatitis B mother cord blood in inducing adult T lymphocytes.

CONCLUSIONThe maturation and functioning of CHB mother cord blood dendritic cells were lower than those of healthy cord blood, healthy adult peripheral blood and CHB adult peripheral blood.