Intrahepatic lymphocyte subpopulation defined by monoclonal antibodies in anti-hbe positive type B chronic active hepatitis

Abstract

The composition of the mononuclear cell infiltrates in the liver was studied in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Lymphocyte subpopulations as defined by Leu monoclonal antibodies (Leu-1: pan T cell, Leu-2a: cytotoxic/suppressor T cell, Leu-3a: helper/inducer T cell, Leu-7: natural killer/K cells, and Leu 10: B cell) and distribution of both HBsAg and HBcAg in the liver have been evaluated in 10 anti-HBe-positive patients compared to 36 HBeAg-positive ones. In anti-HBe-positive patients, a general decrease of Leu-1 + cells associated with decreased numbers of Leu2a + and Leu-3a + cells were observed in both portal/periportal and lobular areas. In 3 patients who had been seroconverted to anti-HBe longer than 17 months before the time of liver biopsy, there was a tendency toward a more decrease of Leu-2a + cells and a higher ratio of Leu-3a + /Leu-2a + cells. In respect of viral replication in the liver, HBcAg and membranous HBsAg was clearly decreased in anti-HBe-positive patients as compared with HBeAg-positive ones. These findings suggest that in patients with CAH, T cell-mediated cytotoxicity to HBV-infected hepatocytes is diminished in accordance with the decrease of active HBV replication shown by seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe.