The changes and value of the proportion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in HBeAg (+) and HBeAg (-) ASC in peripheral blood

Objective To investigate the Changes and Value of the Proportion of CD4+CD25+regulatory T cells (Treg) in HBeAg (+) and HBeAg (-) chronic asymptomatic hepatitis B virus carriers (ASC) .Methods Patients with HBeAg (+) ASC (n=50) , HBeAg (-) ASC (n=50) and normal subjects (n=20) were recruited in this study.Flow cytometric analysis was used to detect the quantification of peripheral CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+T lymphocyte subgroup, CD4+CD25+Treg.Results The proportion of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+T lymphocyte subgroup has no significant difference among healthy controls, HBeAg (+) and HBeAg (-) ASC.The ratio of CD4 and CD8 in HBeAg (+) patients was elevated, but there was no significant difference between healthy controls and HBeAg (+) patients.Contrast to normal subjects, the ratio of CD4+CD25+Treg increases in HBeAg (+) ASC, but decreases obviously in HBeAg (-) ones (P<0.05) .Conclusion Although having normal hepatic function, HBeAg (+) and HBeAg (-) ASC have different ratio of peripheral CD4+CD25+Treg, Our findings suggest that HBeAg (+) and HBeAg (-) ASC stand in different immune state.