Human Myeloid Dendritic Cells From Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection Are Functionally Restored After Hbeag Seroconversion

Objective: Myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (CHB) are deficient in their maturation and function, which may contribute to viral persistence. HBeAg can down-regulate the innate immune response to infection and is required for the establishment of chronic infection. An important goal in the management of patients with HBeAg-positive CHB is to achieve and maintain HBeAg seroconversion. The relationship between HBeAg seroconversion and the function of mDCs of patients with CHB remains to be clarified. Methods: In the present study, the phenotype and function of mDCs isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 40 patients in immune tolerant phase, 40 patients in inactive HBsAg carrier state and 40 healthy donors were studied by flow cytometry, allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: We found that mDCs from patients in immune tolerant phase exhibited a phenotype with remarkably lower expression of CD80, CD86 and HLA-DR than mDCs from the other two groups. T cells primed by mDCs from patients in inactive HBsAg carrier state and healthy donors were more effective than T cells primed by mDCs from patients in immune tolerant phase. In addition, an imbalanced Th1/Th2 cytokines secretion with lower IL-12 and higher IL-10 was detected in supernatants after mDCs from patients in immune tolerant phase were incubated with T cells. Conclusions: mDCs from patients in inactive HBsAg carrier state are functionally improved, which may be resulted from HBeAg seroconversion. HBeAg may have a negative effect on mDCs.