Objective To study the relationship between programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) expressions and serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. Methods A total of 137 CHB patients and 10 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from fresh blood samples. HBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) was expanded in vitro in 64 human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 positive patients. Flow cytometry was used to detect HLA-A2 type,expressions of PD-1/PD-L1 on PBMCs and PD-1 on HBV specific CTL. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ)was measured by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. PD-1/PD-L1expressions on PBMCs, HBV-specific CTL and IFN-γ level in PBMC culture medium were compared among patients with different baseline HBV DNA levels. Ten hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive patients were treated with telbivudine for 24 weeks. The above mentioned parameters were determined and compared before and after the antiviral treatment. Independent-samples t test were used to compare means between two groups and one-way A NOVA were used to compare means among multigroups. We used the pearson corretation test to assess corretation significance. Results The PD-1 and PD-L1 expressions on PBMCs in patients with baseline HBV DNA＜3 lg copy/mL, 3-6 lg copy/mL and ＞6 lg copy/mL were all significant higher than those in healthy control group, but no statistical differences were found. PD-1 expressions on HBV-specific CTL in the three CHB patient groups were (69.3±11.2)%, (76.5±9. 1)% and (78.0±11.7)%, respectively. However, PD-1 expression on HBV-specific CTL was higher, while the frequency of HBV-specific CTL cells was lower in HBV DNA ＞6 lg copy/mL group compared to HBV DNA＜3 lg copy/mL group. The above parameters, including expressions of PD-1 and PD-L1, the frequency of HBV-specific CTL and its PD-1 expression were not significantly different between HBeAg-positive group and HBeAg-negative group. Compared with baseline, PD-1 and PD-L1 expression decreased obviously accompanying with increase of HBV-specific CTL cells frequency and IFN-γ level after 12 weeks and 24 weeks of telbivudine treatment. Conclusions PD-1 expression on HBV-specific CTL correlates with serum HBV DNA level, but not HBeAg status in CHB patients. Suppression of HBV replication can reduce PD-1/PD-L1 expressions and partially restore HBV specific CTL function.

Objective To investigate the impact of synthetic urine (synurine solution) at differentpH values on skin surface.Methods Sixty-four healthy volunteers were enrolled into this study.Based on the results of lactic acid test and questionaires,these subjects were enrolled as sensitive skin group and normalskin group.The 4-,20-,and 24-hour occlusive patch tests were successively performed with synthetic urine at various pH values (2.0,3.5,5.0,6.5,8.0 and 10.0)on the two groups of volunteers.The distilled waterand 0.25%sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS)served as control.The skin surface pH values were measured bypotable pH meter before,and at 24 h,48 h,72 h after the first patch.Half an hour after the latter three detections of pH values,the skin response was evaluated clinically,as well as by transepidermal water loss (TEWL)and pH values,which were measured by pH-900 pH Meter.Results The responses to these solutions were similar between sensitive and normal skin groups.The order of skin surface pH values measured by the two pH meters was consistent with that of the original solutions.The skin surface pH value was altered by the synthetic urine,and this change was still present at 24 hours after the patches were removed.The TEWL values of skin challenged by synthetic urine were not higher than those by distilled water.The skin responses at 72 hours were more intense to the synthetic urines with pH values of.5,8.0,10.0than to distilled water.CondusionsSynthetic urines with different pH values can alter skin surface pH values,and skin responses to synthetic urines with a pH range 2.0-10.0 are similar to those to distilled water.