|
KMID : 0357920100440020132
|
|
Korean Journal of Pathology
2010 Volume.44 No. 2 p.132 ~ p.140
|
|
|
Frequency of Intrahepatic FoxP3+ Regulatory T cells during the Natural Course of Chronic Hepatitis B: An Immunohistochemical Study Using Needle-Biopsied Liver Tissue
|
|
Bae Ji-Yoon
Kim Hyung-Kyung
Kang Han-Na
Cheong Ha-Rin
Song Dong-Eun
Sung Sun-Hee
Koo Hae-Soo
Han Woon-Sup
Lee Jeong-Kyong
Kim Tae-Hun
Chung Kyu-Won
Cho Min-Sun
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Background: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) may contribute to the immunological hyporesponsiveness against hepatitis B virus (HBV), and this can result in chronic infection. Tregs suppress the T cell responses directed against HBV and they protect hepatocytes by down-regulating the immune responses that cause liver damage, but the role of Tregs has not been well characterized.
Methods: Fifty four patients were selected and classified into three groups (12 were in the immune-tolerance phase, 35 were in the immune-clearance phase and 7 were in the asymptomatic virus carrier phase). We examined the frequency of CD3+, CD4+ & CD8+ T cells and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)+ Tregs in the needle-biopsied liver tissue by performing immunohistochemistry.
Results: The FoxP3+ Tregs were mainly located at the portal tracts. In the immune-clearance phase, the frequency of FoxP3+ Tregs was significantly increased compared to that of the immune-tolerance group and the asymptomatic carrier group. Increased FoxP3+ T cells were observed in the patients with a higher histologic inflammatory index. No correlation was observed among the numbers of FoxP3+ Tregs, the serum alanine aminotransferase level, detection of HBeAg and the HBV-DNA viral load.
Conclusions: FoxP3+ Tregs may play important roles in suppressing the immune response to HBV and the complete elimination of HBV.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Hepatitis B, chronic, T-lymphocytes, regulatory, FoxP3
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
 
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
  
|