Effect of adefovir dipivoxil on T cell immune function in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and hepatocirrhosis

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the T cell immune function in chronic hepatitis B hepatocirrhosis patients at the compensated and decompensated stage following treatment with adefovir dipivoxil. A total of 104 patients diagnosed with hepatitis B hepatocirrhosis during the period from October 2013 to October 2014 were enrolled in the study. Among the cases, there were 56 cases at compensated stage, and another 48 at decompensated stage. Adefovir dipivoxil was administered for antiviral therapy (10 mg/time, 1 time/day, for a total of 24 weeks), and we compared the virus disappearance rate, liver function improvement and T cell immune function between the two groups before and after treatment. The difference between the virus disappearance rate in the two groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The decreased level of ALT decrease in the compensated group was significantly higher than that in the decompensated group, while the increased level of albumin in the compensated group was significantly higher as well. The differences showed statistical significance (P<0.05). After treatment, the level of CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ ratio were higher than before treatment, while the level of CD8+ was lower after treatment than before treatment in the two groups. The differences all showed statistical significance (P<0.05). The CD4+CXCR5+ T follicular helper (TFH) cell level in the two groups was higher after treatment, as was interleukin-2 and interferon-γ. The differences all showed statistical significance (P<0.05). As for comparison between groups, the difference had no statistical significance (P>0.05). Adefovir dipivoxil treatment can improve T cell immune function at the compensated and decompensated stages in chronic hepatitis B hepatocirrhosis patients. This may be associated with virus disappearance and liver function improvement.

A Prospective Five-Year Follow-up After peg-Interferon Plus Nucleotide Analogue Treatment or no Treatment in HBeAg Negative Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

“…It does however have the potential to improve T-cell immune function and therefore may support the immune modulating effect of Peg-IFN. 16 Results up to 72 weeks were reported previously and showed similar rates of HBsAg-loss between all study arms. 17 HBsAg-levels did however decline after therapy when compared to the untreated patients and remained lower compared to baseline during follow-up.…”

Immune checkpoints on T and NK cells in the context of HBV infection: Landscape, pathophysiology and therapeutic exploitation

“…In fact, as antiviral therapies for HBV suppress the viral replication, and T-cell exhaustion is driven by prolonged exposure to viral antigens, the decrease of viral antigens induced by standard antiviral therapies restored the functionality of virus-specific effectors cells. This was attested by several studies highlighting increased HBV-specific T-cell proliferation and cytotoxicity upon lamivudine treatment ( 188 ) or improved cytokine production following adefovir administration ( 189 ).…”