Quantitative and functional analysis of core-specific T-helper cell and CTL activities in acute and chronic hepatitis B

Aims/background CD4+ T-helper cell (Th) responses to hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antigen (HBc) are increased during exacerbations in acute and chronic hepatitis B (AHB, CHB) and might influence the induction of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that are important for viral clearance. Methods HBc-specific proliferative responses and cytokine release of blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were studied in patients with AHB or CHB, as well as responders and non-responders to interferon-alpha treatment (IFN-R, IFN-NR), by [3H]-thymidine-uptake, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Elispot assay and were compared to peptide HBc18 27-specific CTL precursor frequencies among CD8+ T cells deri…