Correlation of the content of hepatitis B core antigen in peripheral blood mononuclear cells with HBV virus load

The dysfunction of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) plays an important role in hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronic infection and tolerance. This study is aimed to explore the changes of expression and distribution of Hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) in the PBMCs of patients infected with chronic hepatitis B virus by using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The levels of HBcAg in PBMCs were correlated with the HBV load in serum, and the change of HBcAg distribution in different PBMC organelles may represent various HBV infection states. HBcAg was mainly distributed in the nuclei of PBMC in the cases of immune tolerance and no inflammatory activity. Taken together, our data suggest that the measurement of HBcAg and its distribution in PBMCs using CLSM may serve as an alternative approach to monitor HBV load and the immune states of HBV infection with ease of using and improved sensitivity.