ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of TCR BV CDR3 family in fulminant hepatitis B (FHB) patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 28 patients with fulminant hepatitis B (FHB) (FHB group), who were treated in our hospital from Oct. 2010. to Mar. 2012, and 20 healthy controls( HC group) were included in the study. PBMCs were isolated from anticogulated blood, and RT-PCR was used to detect the levels of TCR BV CDR3 family in the 2 groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of DeltaCt1, DeltaCt12 and DeltaCt20 in FHB group were higher than those in HC group (P < 0.05); The levels of DeltaCt5, DeltaCt7, DeltaCt13, DeltaCt14, DeltaCt15, DeltaCt22, DeltaCt23 in FHB group were lower than those in HC group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The result indicates that cellular immunology is involved in the pathogenesis of the liver inflammation process of FHB.</p>