Biomedical Research

Objective: To explore the impact of IFN-α on immune response of patients with hepatitis B and the functions of plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (pDCs).

Methods: A total of 96 patients with hepatitis B were involved in the study and randomly assigned into control group and experimental group, 48 a group. Both groups underwent usual treatment, besides, the experimental group was given IFN-α. After treatment, all patients were tested for serum AST, ALT and IFN-α, as well as peripheral CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+, and pDCs.

Results: Compared with the control group, the peripheral CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ of the experimental group after treatment were much more than those of the control group. Serum IFN-αand peripheral pDCs of the experimental group were also more than that of the control group (P<0.05); while serum AST and ALT of the experimental group were much less than that of the control group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: IFN-α is able to greatly enhance the immune responses of patients with hepatitis B and functions of plasmacytoid dendritic cells, improving liver function.

Author(s): Yue Chen, Jiaen Yang, Jingmo Tang, Qianguo Mao, Qizhong Zheng, Ying Zheng
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