Describing immune factors associated with Hepatitis B surface antigen loss: A nested case-control study of a Chinese sample from Wuwei City

• Published in: Frontiers in immunology Vol. 13; p. 1025654
• Main Authors: Yuan, Xiaojie, Fu, Ting, Xiao, Lixin, He, Zhen, Ji, Zhaohua, Seery, Samuel, Zhang, Wenhua, Ye, Yancheng, Zhou, Haowei, Kong, Xiangyu, Zhang, Shuyuan, Zhou, Qi, Lin, Yulian, Jia, Wenling, Liang, Chunhui, Tang, Haitao, Wang, Fengmei, Zhang, Weilu, Shao, Zhongjun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 11.10.2022
• Subjects: chemokine; HBsAg; Immunology; interferon; MMP-1; TNF-R1
• ISSN: 1664-3224; 1664-3224
• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1025654

Background Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss is considered a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), however, several factors influence HBsAg loss. Methods 29 CHB patients who had achieved HBsAg loss, were selected and 58 CHB patients with persistent HBsAg were matched, according to gender and age (+/- 3 years). Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) modelling were performed. Results Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression, based on stepwise selection, showed that baseline HBsAg levels negatively correlated with HBsAg loss (odds ratio [OR] = 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.98-0.99). Interferon treatment positively related with HBsAg loss (OR = 7.99, 95%CI = 1.62-44.88). After adjusting for age, HBsAg level, ALT level, HBeAg status and interferon treatment, MMP-1 (OR = 0.66, 95%CI = 0.44-0.97), CXCL9 (OR = 0.96, 95%CI = 0.93-0.99) and TNF-R1 (OR = 0.97, 95%CI = 0.94-0.99) baseline levels all negatively correlated with HBsAg loss. Our multivariate-adjusted RCS model showed that baseline CXCL10 was associated with HBsAg loss although the relationship was “U-shaped”. Conclusions Cytokines such as MMP-1, CXCL9, CXCL10 and TNF-R1 are important factors which influence HBsAg loss. It may be possible to develop a nomogram which intercalates these factors; however, further research should consider immune processes involved in HBsAg loss.