Immunologic Characterization of Posthepatitis Cirrhosis Caused by HBV and HCV Infection

• Published in: BioMed research international Vol. 2010; no. 2010; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Feng, Xiang-Wei, Zhang, Hong, Jin, Qing-Long, Jiang, Yanfang, Li, Wan-Yu, Niu, Jun-Qi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01.01.2010; Dar al -Nasr -al-Llktruni; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical research; Blood; CD4 Antigens; CD4-CD8 Ratio; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Disease; DNA; Female; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatitis B - complications; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C - complications; Hepatitis C virus; Hepatology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Immune system; Infections; Infectious diseases; Interferon-gamma; Interleukins; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - complications; Liver Cirrhosis - immunology; Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes - immunology; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Other diseases. Semiology; Pathogenesis; Tropical diseases; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis; Viral infections; Infection; Characterization; Viral hepatitis B; Cirrhosis; Viral disease; Digestive diseases; Hepatic disease; Viral hepatitis C
• DOI: 10.1155/2010/138237
• ISSN: 2314-6133; 1110-7243

No specific treatment can reverse the liver injury in cirrhosis. This study aims to characterize immune status and correlations between cirrhosis induced by HBV and HCV. Phenotypes of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (T, NK, regulatory T cells) and Th cytokine secretion were analyzed using flow cytometry in 42 HBV-cirrhotic and 40 HCV-cirrhotic patients. Cirrhotic patients had a lower proportion of CD3+CD8+T cells and NK cells, while the proportion of CD3+CD4+T cells and Treg cells were higher than those of healthy controls. The levels of Th2 cytokine (IL-6) in cirrhotic patients were increased, while only the Th1 cytokine (IFN-γ) increased in HBV-cirrhotic patients. These findings show that there is no difference between the cirrhotic groups except in the IFN-γ level. In cirrhosis, defects in innate, adaptive immune cells are likely regardless of which virus is involved. A cytokine imbalance may play a role in the development of posthepatitic cirrhosis.