Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets of Chinese adults with liver steatosis

To evaluate the effect of liver steatosis on systematic cellular immunity through the changes of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, we retrospectively reviewed subjects receiving lymphocyte subtyping during annual medical check-ups. Liver steatosis was detected by abdominal computerized tomography or ultrasound. Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood lymphocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. Cell counts of lymphocyte subsets were calculated using a dual-platform method. The relationship between lymphocyte subsets and liver steatosis was analyzed using multivariate linear models. Using the database from January 2017 to December 2022, we included 5042 subjects, including 1441 participants with liver steatosis. After adjusting for age, gender, and metabolic dysfunctions, the presence of liver steatosis increased the absolute values of CD19+, CD16+56+, CD3+, CD4+, CD4+CD28+, CD4+CD45RA-, CD4+CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RA+62L+, CD8+, CD8+CD28+, CD8+DR+, and CD8+CD38+ cell. In males, T lymphocyte counts of all T subsets increased in liver steatosis. In females, the significant differences in subsets included increased CD4+CD28+, CD4+CD45RA-, CD8+, and CD8+DR+ cells. Significant decreases were revealed in functional and naïve T cells with aging. Metabolic factors such as hypertension and abnormal glucose metabolism increase CD4+, CD4+CD28+, and CD4+CD45RA subsets. Hyperlipidaemia appears not to affect T cell counts, whereas obesity has some effect on both CD4+ (β = 0.041, 95% CI 0.032-0.051) and CD8+ cells (β = 0.036, 95% CI 0.025-0.048). Liver steatosis potentially affects peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, while age, gender, and metabolic dysfunctions are also associated with these immune alterations.