Characteristics of SLA specific T cell response and its clinical significance in autoimmune hepatitis patients / 中华检验医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze the feature of SLA specific T cell response in AIH. Methods Thirtyone cases of AIH were enrolled by investigating T-cell reactivity against chemically synthesized peptides spanning the full SLA protein using ELISpot. The 31 cases of AIH included 10 anti-SLA/LP positive cases and 21 negative cases. The control groups included 30 PBC patients, 29 chronic viral hepatitis patients and 30 healthy cases. The secretion of IFN-γ after PBMC stimulated by SLA peptides was observed. Results Eighteen of 31 cases with AIH [56. 08 % ( 18/31 ) ] showed the positive response to SLA peptide pools, and only 1 of 30 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (3.34%) and 1 of 29 patients with virus hepatitis ( 3.44% ), could be elicited responses by SLA peptide pools. There wasn't positive response in healthy eases. The response frequency to SLA peptides in AIH group was significantly higher than those in PBC cases, chronic viral hepatitis cases and healthy cases (X2 = 21. 295, 20. 655, 15.988, P < 0. 01 ). Amongst 18 AIH patients with positive responds to SLA pool, 8 antigen clusters including aa 1-44, aa 57-132, an 129-180,aa 177-196, aa 193-244, aa 241-268, aa 281-308 and aa 321-428 were highlighted. The mean number of recognized peptides was 6 (2-17), indicating the polyclonal feature. Fourteen of 18 AIH patients with positive response to SLA peptides were subjected to live function test simultaneously when PBMC were collected. There was significant correlation between the breadth of recognized poptides and AST ( logarithm, r = 0. 539, P = 0. 045). Conclusions SLA peptides can induce PBMC in peripheral blood of AIH patients to secrete IFN-γ and it is polyclonal response. The breadth of recognized peptides may reflect the degree of liver inflammation.