Immune profile of peripheral blood T-lymphocyte subpopulations in chronic hepatitis B

Background: The role of immune response to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is complex; and the specific T-cell response to this infection can determine the duration and the extent of liver disease. Objective: This study aimed at assessing the profile of Tlymphocyte subpopulations in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and its association with HBV replication. Methodology: The case group included 50 CHB patients with normal liver function tests (LFTs); and the control group included 50 age and sexmatched healthy individuals. The HBV markers, LFTs and serum viral load were measured in cases. Blood CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte subpopulations and the CD4/CD8 ratio were assessed in both groups by flow cytometry. Results: Our results showed significantly higher CD8 T-cells; significantly lower CD3 and CD4 T-cells; markedly reduced CD4/CD8 ratio in the cases as compared to the controls (P<0.001, for all). This T-cell impairment was also significantly linked to HBeAg positivity and elevated level of viraemia. The increased level of CD8 T-cells was significantly linked to both the HBeAg positivity (P<0.001) and the elevated level of viraemia (P=0.005), whereas the decreased levels of CD3, CD4 T-cells and CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly linked to both HBeAg positivity (P<0.001, in all) and the elevated level of viraemia (P<0.001, P=0.001& P=0.007, respectively). Conclusion: T-lymphocyte subpopulations imbalance could be expected by measuring the serum HBVeAg and the viraemia level in CHB patients exhibiting normal LFTs. These parameters are recommended to be measured regularly for the cellular immune function assessment.

Influences of 6-furfuryloaminopurine on Peripheral T Lymphocyte Subpopulations and Apoptosis of Thymus Lymphocytes of Aging Rats

Background: 6-furfuryloaminopurine (KT) is the first compound to be identified as a cytokinin. Despite that there are many studies related to KT but the mechanism of KT in resisting immunosenescence remains unclear. The objective of this study is to investigate the influences of KT on the immunity of thymus in rats by detecting the apoptosis and the proliferation index (PI).Methods: We firstly established an aging rat model by subcutaneously injecting D- galactose (D-gal, 125mg/kg•BW) in the dorsal neck of Sprague Daly rats (SD rats); then the rats were divided into KT treatment groups (three groups for different doses of KT), aging model group (without KT treatment) and young control group. The rats in KT treatment groups were treated with different-dose KT and the key indices including the changes of the number of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood, the apoptosis of thymus lymphocytes. Result: KT could increase the number of the peripheral CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes of the aging rats while decreased the apoptotic rate of thymocytes and increased PI Index.

The immunosuppressive effects of volatile versus intravenous anesthesia combined with epidural analgesia on kidney cancer: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Background: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the use of inhalational anesthesia leads to higher suppression of the cell-mediated immunity compared to total intravenous anesthesia in patients undergoing kidney cancer surgery under combined low thoracic epidural analgesia and general anesthesia. Methods: Patients were randomly allocated to either propofol-based (intravenous anesthetic) or sevoflurane-based (volatile anesthetic) anesthesia group with 10 patients in each group, along with epidural analgesia in both groups. Amounts of natural killer cells, total T lymphocytes, and T lymphocyte subpopulations in the blood samples collected from the patients before surgery, at the end of the surgery and postoperative days 1, 3, and 7, were determined by flow cytometric analysis. The natural killer (NK) cell count served as the primary endpoint of the study, whereas the total T lymphocyte count and cell counts for T lymphocyte subpopulations were used as the secondary endpoint. . Results: Our study showed that there were no significant differences in the amount of NK cells, total T lymphocytes, regulatory T cells, and T-helper cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and their subpopulations between the propofol- and sevoflurane-based anesthesia groups when the anesthesia was administered in combination with epidural analgesia. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study did not support the hypothesis that the use of inhalational anesthesia leads to higher suppression of the cell-mediated immunity than that of total intravenous anesthesia in patients undergoing kidney cancer surgery under combined low thoracic epidural analgesia and general anesthesia.

In Vitro Study of Immune Properties of New Lactobacilli Isolates from Pheasant Gut

The goal of this paper was to study the effect of Lactobacillus reuteri B1/1, B2/1 and B6/1 on the relative expression of selected interleukins (IL-1β, IL-15), macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-1β), and the relative percentage of T lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PMBCs). The mRNA expression levels of interleukins and MIP-1β of PMBCs were evaluated at 24 h and 48 h post inoculation using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The percentage of T lymphocyte subpopulations in PMBCs was determined by flow cytometry. The group that was administered L. reuteri B1/1 had the most significant stimulation of the expression of pro-inflammatory interleukins and MIP-1β, in particular after 24 h. Similarly, we observed a rise in the relative percentage of T cells including CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in the groups with L. reuteri B1/1 and L. reuteri B2/1. Overall, L. reuteri B1/1 and L. reuteri B2/1 showed a promising stimulatory effect on the relative expression of pro-inflammatory interleukins, MIP-1β and percentage of T cell subpopulations in vitro. On the flip side, L. reuteri B6/1 did not induce the expression of the IL-1β gene.