Effect of interleukin 1 and interleukin 2 on antibody production in asymptomatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from asymptomatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and healthy controls were incubated with recombinant interleukin 1 (r-IL1) or recombinant interleukin 2 (r-IL2) at 37 degrees C for 24 hours and with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and estradiol for 72 hours. The number of antibody-producing cells was counted by hemolytic plaque assay. When the mononuclear cells were not pretreated with r-IL1 or r-IL2, the number of antibody-producing cells was not increased by estradiol in asymptomatic HBV carriers. However, when the mononuclear cells were pretreated with r-IL1 or r-IL2, the number of antibody-producing cells was increased. As we have reported before, this may be have been due to the increase in the estradiol-binding capacity of the mononuclear cells by treatment with IL1 and IL2. In asymptomatic HBv carriers, IL1 and IL2 production of the mononuclear cells or the response of the mononuclear cells to IL1 and IL2 is reduced. Consequently, the estradiol binding capacity is decreased, and antibody production is not increased by estradiol.