[Antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity and the effect of interferon on K-cell functional activity in vitro in chronic viral hepatitis B in children].

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and in-vitro effect of interferon (IF) on the K cell activity was investigated in children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and normal donors. The ADCC in CHB was significantly decreased under normal values. The low K cell activity in CHB might determine inadequate elimination of infected liver cells and continuation of hepatitis B virus replication. IF in vitro significantly stimulated the ADCC of normal blood donors but was unable to significantly increase the ADCC of CHB patients. The in-vitro stimulation of the ADCC of normal donors by IF might be a phenomenon due to an increase of the adult K cell cytotoxic potential and/or activation of pre-K cell maturation. The lack of in-vitro augmentation of the ADCC of CHB patients by IF might result from the decreased quantity of K cells of pre-K cells in the peripheral blood and/or their low susceptibility to the stimulating effect of IF.