Mechanism of T cell hyporesponsiveness to HBcAg is associated with regulatory T cells in chronic hepatitis B

Figure 3 Increased populations of HBcAg-specific IL-10-producing CD4⁺ or CD4⁺CD25^high T cells in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Population of IL-10 secreting cells in CD4⁺ T cells and in CD4⁺CD25⁺ T cells was evaluated in patients with CHB. Frequencies of HBcAg-specific IL-10 secreting cells were calculated by subtracting percentage in non-stimulated samples from percentage in HBcAg-stimulated samples. Upper limits of normal subjects (mean ± 2SD of 5 subjects) were shown by straight lines in the plots (0.14% for CD4⁺CD25⁺ cells and 0.027% for CD4⁺ cells). A FITC faser kit (BD Bioscience Pharmingen) was used in some experiments of ease separation of positive events by enhancing fluorescence intensity.