Functional study on plasmacytoid dendritic cells in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B treated with entecavir / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To investigate the correlation between the frequency and function of early plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) and the treatment response in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B receiving entecavir (ETV).@*Methods@#Patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B were enrolled. Antiviral therapy with ETV, serum serological markerso hepatitis B virs (HBV) infection and liver function (HBV DNA load, HBsAg/anti-HBs, HBeAg and anti-HBe levels, and ALT levels) were monitored every three months before and during treatment; the efficacy of ETV was assessed by changes in the level of HBV DNA. Peripheral venous blood was collected before treatment, at 12 weeks and 24 weeks, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to detect the frequency of peripheral blood pDC and the surface co-stimulatory molecule CD86. The baseline and early treatment (12 weeks and 24 weeks) pDC frequency and functional changes were analyzed.@*Results@#Of the 100 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 45 patients received ETV treatment and 48 weeks of follow-up. Within 48 weeks of ETV treatment, HBsAg levels decreased by 0.53±0.78 log IU/mL; HBeAg decreased by 816.61S/CO, and HBeAg seroconversion occurred in 4 cases; HBV DNA content decreased by 6.04±1.12 log IU/mL, in 33 cases (73%) the HBV DNA became undetectable, in 43 cases ALT kept normal continuously for more than 3 months. In the early stage of ETV treatment, pDC% increased significantly, CD86+ pDC%, CD86MFI and CD86ABC showed no significant changes. In ETV-treated HBV DNA responders, pDC% increased significantly, CD86+ pDC%, CD86MFI and CD86ABC showed no significant changes; HBV DNA non-responders had a significant increase in pDC%, but CD86+ pDC% decreased significantly, and CD86MFI and CD86ABC showed no significant changes. The decrease in HBsAg and HBeAg levels in ETV treated patients was not significantly associated with early pDC%, CD86+ pDC%, CD86MFI and CD86ABC changes.@*Conclusions@#ETV treatment can directly inhibit the replication of HBV DNA, but does not enhance the function of immune cells.