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Elevated intracellular IFN-gamma levels in circulating CD8+ lymphocytes in patients with fulminant hepatitis
1First Department of Internal Medicine, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Background/Aims:
Fulminant hepatitis usually takes a rapidly progressive course, terminating in death within a short period. Experimental studies have demonstrated that immunological mechanisms play an important role, especially those involving virus-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and their production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). However, there are no immunological markers for prediction of the development of fulminant hepatitis in man.
Methods:
Peripheral blood lymphocytes from four patients with fulminant hepatitis, six with acute hepatitis and 11 healthy volunteers as normal controls were analyzed. Intracellular IFN-gamma production in both CD8 positive and negative T lymphocytes was assessed by flow cytometry.
Results:
Populations of CD8+ IFN-gamma+ T lymphocytes were significantly increased in patients with fulminant hepatitis, as compared with those with acute hepatitis and normal controls. Production of IFN-gamma in CD8+ T lymphocytes of patients with fulminant hepatitis was also elevated, furthermore significantly correlating with the prothrombin time (r=-0.64, p<0.01).
Conclusions:
The capacity for IFN-gamma production by CD8+ lymphocytes is up-regulated in fulminant hepatitis, and this may be important for the development of fulminant hepatitis.