Abstract
BackgroundTo investigate the effects of co-infection with C. sinensis on T cell exhaustion levels in patients with chronic hepatitis BMethodsInhibitory receptors and suppressive cytokines expression in circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was detected by flow cytometry. The correlations between PD-1 and TIM-3 expression and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) levels, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and HBV DNA levels were analyzed using GraphPad Prism 7.0. ResultsPD-1 and TIM-3 expression levels were significantly higher on CD4+T and CD8+T cells from co-infected patients than on those from the HBV patients. In addition, CD4+T cells and CD8+T cells function was inhibited by C. sinensis and HBV coinfection, secreting low levels of IFN-γ, IL-2 and TNF-α. Then, a significant positive correlation was found between the PD-1 and TIM-3 expression levels on T cells and the AST ,ALT levels and HBV DNA levels.ConclusionsOur current results suggested that C. sinensis co-infection could exacerbate T cell exhaustion in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Furthermore, it maybe one possible reason for the weaker response to antiviral therapies and the chronicity of HBV infection in co-infected patients. We must realize that the importance of C.sinensis treatment for HBV infected patients. It might provide useful information for the clinical doctors to choose the right treatment plans.
T-cell exhaustion in chronic hepatitis B infection: current knowledge and clinical significance