These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Interferon-gamma production specific for hepatitis B virus antigen by intrahepatic T lymphocytes in patients with acute and chronic hepatitis B.
    Author: Kakumu S, Ishikawa T, Wakita T, Yoshioka K, Takayanagi M, Tahara H, Kusakabe A.
    Journal: Am J Gastroenterol; 1994 Jan; 89(1):92-6. PubMed ID: 8273806.
    Abstract:
    OBJECTIVES: Studies were undertaken to determine whether intrahepatic lymphocytes have a greater cellular immune response specific for hepatitis B virus (HBV) antigen than peripheral blood lymphocytes in HBV-infected man. METHODS: HB nucleocapsid antigen-stimulated interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production of lymphocytes was measured in acute self-limited hepatitis (AH) (eight cases) and chronic hepatitis (CH) (14 cases). RESULTS: In both patient groups, basal IFN-gamma levels without any stimulation were higher in the hepatic T cells than in the peripheral T cells. The values in cultures from blood and liver were larger in AH than in CH. Alternatively, IFN-gamma response to HBcAg and HBeAg was less in hepatic T cells than in the corresponding blood cultures; T cell response was HLA class II restricted. Cell flow cytometry study showed that in all patient groups, percentages of CD3+, CD8+, and HLA-DR+ cells were significantly greater in liver than in peripheral blood, whereas the proportion of hepatic CD4+ cells was decreased, compared with that in peripheral CD4+ cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that liver infiltrates are already activated in vivo to produce IFN-gamma, particularly in patients with AH. The changes in the proportion of lymphocyte subsets may be responsible for the altered IFN-gamma response of hepatic T cells.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]