Original Article. Dynamic Changes of Multiple Immune Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Undergoing Antiviral Treatment

Abstract Objective Various immune cells in patients with CHB have been demonstrated to play critical roles in HBV infection. The goal of this study is to observe changes in Th17, Treg, Th1 and B lymphocytes from peripheral blood and to evaluate immune status of CHB patients undergoing antiviral treatment. Methods Total of 49 CHB patients, 19 asymptomatic carriers and 29 healthy donors were included in our present study. The frequencies of peripheral Th17 cells (CD3+CD4+IL-17+Tcells), Treg cells (CD3+CD4+CD25+CD127- T cells), Th1 cells (CD3+CD4+IFN-γ T cells) and B lymphocytes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results The frequency of Th17 cells increased after treatment for 6 months, but there was no statistically significant difference of IL-17 expression between baseline and 6 months after treatment. The frequencies of Treg cells, momory B cells and total CD19+ B cells decreased after antiviral treatment. The frequencies of Th1 cells and plasma cells increased after antiviral treatment. Conclusions This study highlights that the reestablishment of immune function during antiviral treatment in CHB patients, which caused by the antiviral drugs or the patients themselves. CHB patients may exhibit varied responses to these antiviral drugs. It is essential to supplement immune therapy during the antiviral treatment, but Th17 may play a limited role in inflammation during antiviral treatment, targeting Th17 therapy may not be useful for CHB treatment. More time and more experiments are critical to explain it.