Modulation of the function of dendritic cells in adolescents with chronic HBV infection by IFN-λ1.

The exact immunology pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains unclear currently. The dendritic cells (DCs) dysfunction is evident in adolescents with chronic HBV infection in the immune tolerant phase. DCs, as the most efficient professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs), possess the strongest antigen presenting the effect in the body and can stimulate the initial T cell activation and proliferation, depending on their stage of maturation. The recently classified type III interferon group, interferon-λ1 (IL-29), interferon-λ2 (IL-28A), and interferon-λ3 (IL-28B) displays immunomodulatory and antiviral activity. In the current study, we describe a way to stimulate the DCs maturation. As a result, IFN-λ1 combined with recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) and recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhIL-4) can induce the DCs maturation and promote the costimulatory molecules such as CD80, CD83, CD86 and human leucocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) expression in the immune tolerance and the clearance phases. This study demonstrates that the DCs function is remarkably impaired both in the immune tolerant phase and the immune clearance phase in adolescents with chronic HBV infection compared with healthy youth control. At the same time, this study has developed a theoretical basis for the application of IFN-λ1 breaking immune tolerance and improving the body's immune system to clear HBV.