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Updated: Sep 9, 2025
Analysis of HBV-Specific CD4 T-cell Responses and Identification of HLA-DR-Restricted CD4 T-Cell Epitopes Based on a Peptide Matrix
Published on: October 20, 2021
Single-Cell Profiling of Peripheral and Intrahepatic B Cells Reveals Altered Responses and a CCR7⁺ Subset Linked to
Shihong Zhong1, Zhaofeng Zeng1, Zihan Jin1
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Research in South China (Southern Medical University), Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Major Liver Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Viral Hepatitis, Guangdong Institute of Hepatology, Guangdong Provincial Research Center for Liver Fibrosis Engineering and Technology, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
B cell is a crucial component of adaptive immunity that plays a paramount role in the progression and prognosis of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. However, detailed and systematic overviews of B cells are lacking, hindering their clinical applications in fighting against HBV. This study aims to provide a landscape of B cell responses in the context of chronic HBV infection. The phenotype, function, and transcriptome features of the peripheral and intrahepatic B cells in cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts of patients with chronic HBV infection were characterized using single-cell RNA sequencing analysis coupled with flow cytometry. B cells displayed varying degrees of altered function at different natural stages of chronic HBV infection, as evidenced by their inhibitory phenotype, reduced B cell receptor (BCR) signaling, resulting in decreased production of antiviral cytokines, attenuated differentiation into memory B cells, weakened interactions with T cells. Additionally, in patients with chronic HBV infection, intrahepatic B cells exhibited augmented BCR signaling, cytokine secretion, differentiation, and intensified interactions with other immune cells, compared to their peripheral counterparts. It is noteworthy that CCR7+ B cells, characterized by high expression of activation markers and IL-6, exhibited enhanced survival capacity and were elevated in treatment-responsive patients. Our study provides a detailed insight into the B cell response in chronic HBV infection and highlights the potential clinical application of CCR7-expressing B cell-oriented anti-HBV therapy.
