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The expression of programmed death-1 in circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells during hepatitis B virus infection
Ping Xu1, Yong-Jing Chen2, Hui Chen1
1The Affiliated Infectious Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China. ; Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity of Suzhou City, Suzhou, China.
Insights
Programmed death-1 (PD-1) expression increases in T cells during chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and advanced liver disease. PD-1 levels correlate with viral load and liver enzymes in CHB, suggesting its potential as a clinical indicator.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Hepatology
- Virology
Background:
- Investigated Programmed death-1 (PD-1) expression in T cells across hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection stages.
- Examined PD-1 levels in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze PD-1 expression in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells during different phases of HBV infection.
- To determine the correlation between PD-1 expression and key clinical markers of liver disease and viral load.
Main Methods:
- Flow cytometry was used to detect PD-1 expression on circulating CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells.
- Statistical analysis correlated PD-1 expression with HBV viral load, ALT, and AST levels.
Main Results:
- PD-1 expression was significantly elevated in both CHB and advanced (LC + HCC) stages.
- In CHB, PD-1 levels positively correlated with HBV viral load, ALT, and AST.
- Correlations between PD-1 and clinical parameters were minimal in the LC + HCC group.
Conclusions:
- PD-1 expression on T cells is dynamic and reflects HBV infection progression.
- PD-1 levels are linked to viral replication and liver injury, particularly in CHB.
- PD-1 may serve as a potential clinical biomarker for assessing HBV disease severity.
Background/Aims:
Programmed death-1 (PD-1) expression was investigated in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells from hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients at the chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, liver cirrhosis (LC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) stages.
Methods:
PD-1 expression in circulating CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells was detected by flow cytometry. The correlations between PD-1 expression and HBV viral load, alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) levels and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were analyzed using GraphPad Prism 5.0.
Results:
PD-1 expression in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells was significantly increased in both the CHB group and advanced-stage group (LC plus HCC). In the CHB group, PD-1 expression in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells was positively correlated with the HBV viral load, ALT, and AST levels. However, in the LC plus HCC group, significant correlations between PD-1 expression and the clinical parameters were nearly absent.
Conclusions:
PD-1 expression in peripheral CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells is dynamic, changes with HBV infection progression, and is related to HBV viral load and liver function, especially in CHB. PD-1 expression could be utilized as a potential clinical indicator to determine the extent of virus replication and liver injury.
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