ABSTRACT
Objective:To study the HBV infection in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in mediating the role of mother -to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus.Methods: The peripheral blood mononuclear cells ( PBMCs ) in maternal and cord blood mononuclear cells ( CBMCs ) in newborns were conventionally isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque medium.The loads of HBV-DNA in peripheral blood of maternal and cord blood of newborns were both detected by PCR .Results:The clinical data showed that the positive detection rates of HBV-DNA in serum and PBMCs of pregnant women with HBeAg (+) were 100.00%( 25/25 ) and 72.00%( 18/25),and the positive detection rates of HBV-DNA in the neonatal umbilical cord blood serum and CBMCs were 60.00%(15/25) and 44.00%(11/25),respectively.There were significantly difference between HBeAg (+) and HBeAg(-) in the pregnant women (P<0.05 ).The positive detection rates of HBV-DNA in neonatal umbilical cord blood serum and CBMCs were higher in the group with high HBV loads (more than 106copies/ml) in PBMCs than those of low HBV loading group (102-103copies/ml).The significantly difference was explored between the two groups.Conclusion: Mononuclear cells can not only be infected by HBV , but also play a critical role in the intrauterine vertical transmission of HBV via the pathway transmitted from PBMCs in pregnant women to CBMCs in newborns.