Objective To study immune function of peripheral blood dendritic cells in chronic hepa titis B virus infected patients. Methods Peripheral blood DCs of patients and normal human were isolated and cultured in serum free media. The expression levels of DC surface molecule were analyzed by flow cytometry and the ability of DC to induce T lymphocyte proliferation were evaluated by a liquid scintillation counter and the amounts of cytokines in MLR were measured detected. Results The expression rate of CD86 (70.2?5.2)% on DC in patients was decreased compared with that in controls. (95.3?3.5)%, P