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Intrahepatic, nucleocapsid antigen-specific T cells in chronic active hepatitis B

Academic Article
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Overview

authors

  • Ferrari, C.
  • Penna, A.
  • Giuberti, T.
  • Tong, M. J.
  • Ribera, E.
  • Fiaccadori, F.
  • Chisari, Francis

publication date

  • September 1987

journal

  • Journal of Immunology  Journal

abstract

  • Hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg)-specific T cell lines were established from hepatic lymphomononuclear cells derived from five patients with chronic active hepatitis B. No hepatitis B virus envelope antigen-specific cell lines were established. Proliferation in response to recombinant and native HBcAg, but not to native hepatitis B surface antigen containing the pre-S(2) region, confirmed the specificity of the five T cell lines. All cell lines represented mixed populations of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. The CD4+ subset provided antigen-specific help to autologous B cells with respect to anti-HBc production and to CD8+ cells with regard to HBcAg-induced proliferation and suppressor activity. The CD8+ subset contained suppressor cells that selectively inhibited the proliferative response of autologous HBcAg-specific CD4+ cells without inhibiting CD4+ cells of unrelated specificity (tetanus toxoid). Moreover, the CD8+ cells were also capable of suppressing HBcAg-stimulated antibody to HBcAg production without showing inhibition of total immunoglobulin production stimulated by pokeweed mitogen. The cytotoxic potential of the T cell lines was established in a lectin-dependent cytotoxicity system; natural killer cytotoxicity was completely absent. Our data suggest that the lesional T cells present at the site of hepatocellular injury in chronic active hepatitis B are primarily HBcAg-specific lymphocytes of the helper and suppressor/cytotoxic phenotypes and that both are functionally competent.

subject areas

  • Antibody Formation
  • Antigen-Presenting Cells
  • Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte
  • Antigens, Surface
  • Capsid
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Female
  • HLA-D Antigens
  • Hepatitis B Antibodies
  • Hepatitis B Core Antigens
  • Hepatitis, Chronic
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Liver
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Male
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • T-Lymphocytes
  • T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer
  • Viral Core Proteins
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Identity

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0022-1767

PubMed ID

  • 2957446
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Additional Document Info

start page

  • 2050

end page

  • 2058

volume

  • 139

issue

  • 6

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