Natural killer cells function in acute and chronic hepatitis B patients

Weihua Cao; Shuling WU; Chongping Ran; Tianlin QI; Xingyue Wang; Xiaojing QU; Dan Zhang; Lu Zhang; Yao LU; Hongxiao Hao; Min Chang; Leiping HU; Ruyu Liu; Yunzhong WU; Min Yang; Wenhao Hua; Shunai Liu; Minghui LI; Yao Xie

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Natural killer cells function in acute and chronic hepatitis B patients

VernacularTitle: 急性和慢性乙型病毒性肝炎中自然杀伤细胞的功能研究
Author: Weihua CAO ¹ ; Shuling WU ² ; Chongping RAN ² ; Tianlin QI ² ; Xingyue WANG ² ; Xiaojing QU ² ; Dan ZHANG ² ; Lu ZHANG ² ; Yao LU ² ; Hongxiao HAO ² ; Min CHANG ² ; Leiping HU ² ; Ruyu LIU ² ; Yunzhong WU ² ; Min YANG ² ; Wenhao HUA ³ ; Shunai LIU ⁴ ; Minghui LI ² ; Yao XIE ¹
Author Information

1. Department of Liver Diseases Center, Peking University Ditan Teaching Hospital, Beijing 100015, China
2. Liver Diseases Center, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China
3. Clinical Test Center, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China
4. Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Natural killer cells; Chronic hepatitis B; Acute hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus
From: Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology 2018;32(1):21-26
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Objective:To investigate the differences in frequency and function of natural killer cells (NK) between chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and acute hepatitis B (AHB).
Methods:Patients with AHB and those with CHB in immune active (IA) phase were enrolled. The frequencies of NK, CD56^dimNK, CD56^brightNK and the expression of functional molecules IFNAR2 and NKp46 on the surface of NK cells were detected respectively among patients with CHB in IA phase, patients with AHB, and those recovered from AHB. At the same time, their correlations with ALT, HBV DNA and HBV markers were analyzed.
Results:Between IA and AHB, the frequencies of NK cells and NKp46^dim NK cells in AHB cases were significantly lower than those in IA cases, but the frequency of NKp46^high NK cells in AHB was higher than that in IA. For patients who recovered from AHB, the frequency of NK cells and NKp46^dim NK cells increased; the varied ranges of frequencies of CD56^dimNK, IFNAR2⁺ NK and NKp46⁺ NK cells were on the rise, while the frequency of NKp46^high NK cells decreased after the recovery from AHB, and the varied ranges of CD56^brightNK and IFNAR2MFI, NKp46MFI decreased. In AHB, HBVDNA loads were positively correlated with ALT levels. Before and after the recovery of AHB: ΔHBV DNA and ΔALT, Δ NK/LY (%) were positively correlated; ΔALT and ΔNKp46^highNK/NK(%), ΔNKp46MFI, ΔIFNAR2MFI were positively correlated.
Conclusions:In CHB immune active phase, the activity of peripheral blood NK cells was too weak to remove the virus, but NK cells play an important role in eliminating the viruses and mediating liver tissue inflammation in AHB.