Immune response pattern varies with the natural history of chronic hepatitis B

Figure 5 Virus-specific T cell responses after in vitro expansion in different clinical phases. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were incubated with core or S peptide pools. After 10 d in vitro culture, virus-specific T cell responses were determined by detecting the frequency of T cells producing interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and IL-2. A: Gated on CD3+ lymphocytes, representative dot plots depict the frequency of CD4+ (upper-left quadrant) and CD8+ (upper-right quadrant) T cells-producing IFN-γ or IL-2; B: IFN-γ production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in response to the core peptide pool; C: IL-2 production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in response to the core peptide pool; D: IFN-γ and IL-2 production by CD3+ T cells in response to the core peptide pool; E: Positive responses of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells producing IFN-γ or IL-2 in response to the core peptide pool; F: IFN-γ production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in response to the S peptide pool; G: IL-2 production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in response to the S peptide pool; H: IFN-γ and IL-2 production by CD3+ T cells in response to the S peptide pool; I: Positive responses of CD4+ or CD8+ T cells producing IFN-γ or IL-2 in response to the S peptide pool. IFN-γ: Interferon-gamma; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha; HD: Healthy donors; IT: Immune tolerant; IA: Immune active; IC: Inactive carrier; ENEG: Hepatitis B envelope antigen-negative hepatitis. All data are presented as mean ± SD, ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01, ^cP < 0.001.