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Proliferative and cytotoxic T‐cell clones recognize endogenously synthesized HBcAG in an asymptomatic HBsAg carrier
Author(s) -
Shu PeiYun,
Chang Chungming,
Hwan LihHwa,
Hu ChengPo
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840180209
Subject(s) - hbcag , cytotoxic t cell , hbsag , virology , hepatitis b virus , biology , cell culture , t cell , immune system , immunology , virus , in vitro , biochemistry , genetics
The characterization of immune responses to hepatitis B virus is crucial for the understanding of hepatitis B virus–caused liver disease. However, lack of a suitable autologous effector–target cell system makes a precise study of the pathogenesis of hepatitis B difficult. In this study we established a model system by using autologous HBcAg‐expressing Epstein‐Barr virus–immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines as stimulator/target cells. T‐cell cultures were established by repetitive stimulation with recombinant HBcAg or autologous HBcAg‐expressing lymphoblastoid cell lines. Both proliferative and cytotoxic T‐cell clones were obtained from the peripheral blood of an asymptomatic HBsAg carrier. Clones T12 (CD8 + ) and T2B (CD4 + ) were cytotoxic clones specific against autologous lymphoblastoid cell lines expressing endogenously synthesized HBcAg, whereas five CD4 + T‐cell clones proliferated in response to lymphoblastoid cell lines incubated with exogenous recombinant HBcAg and autologous HBcAg‐expressing lymphoblastoid cell lines. These results indicate that autologous HBcAg‐expressing lymphoblastoid cell lines are appropriate stimulator/target cells for the study of HBcAg‐specific T lymphocytes. By using this approach, we have demonstrated that both proliferative and cytotoxic T lymphocytes recognizing endogenously synthesized HBcAg are induced during chronic hepatitis B virus infection. (H EPATOLOGY 1993;18:275–283).