Interleukin-7 in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B May Have Effect on T Follicular Helper Cells and Specific Cellular Immunity

In patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), the relation of interkeukin-7 (IL-7) to either the T follicular helper cells (Tfh cells) or to a specific cellular immune response is not clear.
The present study aims to explore the possible relationship of IL-7 to Tfh cells and to hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific cellular immune response in patients with CHB.
Ninety-one adult patients with CHB were divided into groups A, B, and C, according to the patients’ IL-7 levels (low, medium, and high). Tfh cells and HBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were detected with flow cytometry; IL-7 and IL-21 were determined with a double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; and HBV DNA was determined by using a real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
The results showed that the levels of IL-7, Tfh cells, IL-21, and HBV-specific CTLs of patients in group C were significantly higher than those of patients in group B, (P This study suggests that the IL-7 level of CHB patients may be related to Tfh cells. In CHB patients, IL-7 possibly increases the level of Tfh cells and HBV-specific cellular immune responses and thereby reduces the HBV DNA level.