[Hepatitis B virus surface antigen presenting function of peripheral blood dendritic cells from liver transplant...

To test the hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigen presenting capacity of peripheral blood dendritic cells (DCs) from liver transplant recipients who were in the condition of postoperative HBV clinical clearance.

Blood samples were obtained from 18 postoperative liver transplant recipients and 6 healthy adults. The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and cultured in vitro. The DCs were induced by recombainant human interleckin-4 (rhIL-4) and recombainant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) and collected on day 7 of the culture. The DCs were then incubated with hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) for 3 hours, and cocultured with allogeneic PBMC for 5 days. The 3HTdR was added with 1microci per well 18 hours before the end of the culture. The cpm values were identified for all of the cells.

Under the same culture condition, the proliferation of the cells from the liver transplant recipients was poorer than those from the healthy adults (cpm value 4310.8 +/- 1820.3 vs 19002.5 +/- 13357.8, P < 0.001). The capacity of antigen presenting of DCs from the liver transplant recipients was significantly weaker than those from the healthy adults (cpm value 4974.9 +/- 2414.7 vs 39258.4 +/- 5554.9, P < 0.001).

Antigen presenting capacity of DCs from liver transplant recipients, who are in the condition of postoperative HBV clinical clearance, is weakened. It might be the reason of the deficient immune response to HBV and hepatitis B vaccine of patients with liver transplant. The antigen presenting function is associated with the preoperative HBV replication, length after operation, prophylaxis of HBV re-infection/HB recurrence, and postoperative PBMV HBV DNA.