Direct Role of Antibody-Secreting B Cells in the Severity of Chronic Hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B involves different immune cells. The direct role of antibody-secreting B cells in the severity of chronic hepatitis B unclear. In this study, the number of plaque forming cells [PFC-(IgG, IgM, anti-HBc IgG, and anti-HBc IgM)], liver function tests (LFT) [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total serum bilirubin (TSB)], the levels of IL-10 in sera and in lymphocyte cultures, the number of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells were measured in the peripheral blood of patients and in the controls. In addition, the hepatocytotoxic effect of anti-HBc and anti-HBe in vitro was studied. The largest number of PFCs was observed in the peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B. This was concomitant with a decrease in CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio versus this ratio in asymptomatic HBV carriers and in healthy volunteers (P<0.05). An increase in immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM) levels, anti-HBc IgG, and anti-HBc IgM levels and LFTs in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B was seen. Anti-HBc induced hepatocytotoxicity in vitro. The expression of mRNA and protein for IL-10 production was observed at a significant level in culture of lymphocytes isolated from patients with chronic hepatitis B. In addition, a high level of IL-10 was found only in the sera of patients with chronic hepatitis B. It is concluded that the antibody-secreting B cells and the antibodies, which are produced, play an important role in the severity of chronic hepatitis B, which was related negatively with CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio and positively with IL-10 expression. J. Med. Virol. 87:407-416, 2015. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.