[Association between CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and serum transforming growth factor beta 1 in patients with chronic hepatitis B].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells are associated with serum TGF beta 1 in patients with hepatitis B.

METHODS

Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic asymptomatic carriers (AsC), normal subjects (NS) and the resolved from HBV infection (Resolved) were recruited in this study. Flow cytometric analysis was used to detect the frequency and phenotype of peripheral CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells, and Foxp3 gene expression were examined by real time PCR. Serum TGF beta 1 levels were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay).

RESULTS

Patients with CHB or AsC exhibited significantly higher frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells compared to healthy controls. CD4+CD25+ T cells derived from patients with CHB and AsC expressed higher level of Foxp3-mRNA. Furthermore, the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells was correlated with serum HBV DNA copy numbers in patients with CHB and AsC. Our results indicated that the serum TGF beta was increased in CHB and AsC patients compared to control patients, and that serum TGF beta was correlated with the expression of Foxp3-mRNA and the frequency of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in patients with CHB and AsC.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings have important implication in the understanding of the role and mechanism of aberrant CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in the maintenance of chronicity in hepatitis B patients.