Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 7, 2006; 12(9): 1447-1451
Published online Mar 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i9.1447
Expression of ICAM-1, HLA-DR, and CD80 on peripheral circulating CD1 α DCs induced in vivo by IFN-α in patients with chronic hepatitis B
Yong-Sheng Yu, Zheng-Hao Tang, Jing-Chao Han, Min Xi, Jie Feng, Guo-Qing Zang
Yong-Sheng Yu, Zheng-Hao Tang, Jing-Chao Han, Min Xi, Jie Feng, Guo-Qing Zang, Department of Infectious Diseases, Sixth People’s Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200233, China
Correspondence to: Dr. Yong-Sheng Yu, Department of Infectious Diseases, Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital, Yishan Road 600, Shanghai 200233, China. yuyongsheng@medmail.com.cn
Telephone: +86-21-64369181-8675
Received: November 2, 2005
Revised: December 1, 2005
Accepted: December 22, 2005
Published online: March 7, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To explore the effects of interferon-α (IFN-α) application on peripheral circulating CD1α dendritic cells (DCs) in patients with chronic hepatitis B, and the expression of HLA-DR, CD80, and ICAM-1 on CD1α DCs in order to explore the mechanism of immune modulation of IFN-α.

METHODS: By flow cytometry technique, changes of CD1α DCs were monitored in 22 patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with IFN-α and in 16 such patients not treated with IFN-α within three months. Meanwhile, the expression of HLA-DR, CD80, and ICAM-1 on CD1α DCs was detected.

RESULTS: In the group of IFN-α treatment, the percentage of CD1α DCs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was increased after three months of therapy. In patients who became negative for HBV-DNA after IFN-α treatment, the increase of DCs was more prominent, while in control, these changes were not observed. Increased expression of HLA-DR, CD80, and ICAM-1 on CD1α DCs was also observed.

CONCLUSION: CD1α DCs can be induced by IFN-α in vivo, and the immune related molecules such as HLA-DR, CD80, and ICAM-1 are up-regulated to some degree. This might be an important immune related mechanism of IFN-α treatment for chronic hepatitis B.

Keywords: Chronic hepatitis B; DC; Immune costimulatory molecules; Immunotherapy; IFN-α