Second Department of Pediatrics, Allergy Research Center, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Cell Mol Immunol. 2010 Nov;7(6):454-8. doi: 10.1038/cmi.2010.34. Epub 2010 Jul 26.
Vertically transmitted hepatitis B virus (HBV) usually causes chronic infection. While combined active-passive immunoprophylaxis in neonates of hepatitis B surface antigen-positive (HBsAg(+)) mothers at birth prevents vertical transmission, it is not yet clear whether neonates encounter the virus or its products in the absence of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). This study was undertaken to investigate HBV antigen-specific T-cell responses in vaccinated neonates of HBsAg(+)/HBeAg(-) mothers. Blood was collected from 46 HBsAg(+) mothers and their neonates (subjects) as well as 24 age-matched controls. All neonates of HBsAg(+) mothers received appropriate immunoprophylaxis, and HBsAg and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) antibody titers were determined after completion of the vaccination course. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from infants at birth, 1 and 6 months of age were stimulated with recombinant HBsAg, hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and mitogen, and interferon (IFN)-γ concentrations were determined by ELISA. HBsAg-induced production of IL-2, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10 was assessed using a cytometric bead array kit on cells from 6-month-old neonates post-vaccination. All neonates were HBsAg(-) and responded to vaccination. Increased IFN-γ production following HBcAg stimulation was seen in 30.4% of neonates born to HBsAg(+)/HBeAg(-) mothers. Subjects demonstrated significantly higher IL-2 production post-HBsAg stimulation, whereas IL-5, IL-6 and IL-10 cytokine responses were not significantly different. Almost one-third of uninfected neonates developed viral antigen-induced IFN-γ production, suggesting that they had been exposed to virions or viral derivatives. This encounter, however, did not impair their T-cell responses to vaccination.
乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）垂直传播通常导致慢性感染。虽然在乙型肝炎表面抗原阳性（HBsAg(+））母亲的新生儿出生时联合主动-被动免疫预防可防止垂直传播，但在没有乙型肝炎 e 抗原（HBeAg）的情况下，新生儿是否接触到病毒或其产物尚不清楚。本研究旨在调查 HBsAg(+）/HBeAg(-）母亲的接种新生儿中乙型肝炎病毒抗原特异性 T 细胞反应。从 46 名 HBsAg(+)母亲及其新生儿（受试者）以及 24 名年龄匹配的对照中采集血液。所有 HBsAg(+)母亲的新生儿均接受了适当的免疫预防，在完成疫苗接种疗程后测定 HBsAg 和乙型肝炎表面抗体（抗-HBs）抗体滴度。在出生时、1 个月和 6 个月时，从婴儿外周血单核细胞（PBMC）中提取刺激物，用重组 HBsAg、乙型肝炎核心抗原（HBcAg）和有丝分裂原刺激，并通过 ELISA 测定干扰素（IFN）-γ浓度。在接种疫苗后 6 个月时，使用细胞因子珠阵列试剂盒评估 HBsAg 诱导的 IL-2、IL-5、IL-6 和 IL-10 的产生。所有新生儿均为 HBsAg(-）并对疫苗接种有反应。在 HBsAg(+）/HBeAg(-）母亲所生的新生儿中，有 30.4%的人在 HBcAg 刺激后 IFN-γ产生增加。与 HBcAg 刺激后相比，受试者在 HBsAg 刺激后显示出明显更高的 IL-2 产生，而 IL-5、IL-6 和 IL-10 细胞因子反应没有明显差异。近三分之一未感染的新生儿产生了病毒抗原诱导的 IFN-γ产生，这表明他们接触了病毒粒子或病毒衍生物。然而，这种接触并没有损害他们对疫苗接种的 T 细胞反应。
