Elevation of 2′,5′-Oligoadenylate Synthetase Activity and HLA-I Associated β2-Microglobulin in Response to Recombinant Interferon-γ Administration in Chronic HBeAg-Positive Hepatitis

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Abstract
We have analyzed the immunomodulatory effect of 5 and 2 MU of recombinant interferon-γ (rIFN-γ) administered to 8 carriers of HBsAg with histologically proven chronic active liver disease. After the rIFN-γ administration, T8 lymphocyte subsets showed a significant decrease (basal vs. 4 weeks, p < 0.05) and T4/T8 ratios were higher than the basal values in 6/8 patients. Serum levels of the HLA class I-associated β2-microglobulin increased significantly in all patients within the first week of treatment, both with the high (p < 0.01) and the low (p < 0.05) rIFN-γ dose. Then, differences between the two doses reached statistical significance (p < 0.03). Similar results (p < 0.05) were obtained by measuring the 2,5-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase activity, co-occurring with the decreases in HBV-DNA polymerase and HBV-DNA, although no differences were found between the two doses. In addition, levels of 2-5A synthetase correlated significantly with those of β2-microglobulin (r = 0.743, p < 0.01). On the other hand, after the rIFN-γ administration, all the patients had liver membrane antibodies (LMA) in their serum (p < 0.05); only two patients (who were anti-HD positive) showed LMA at the end of the follow-up. rIFN-γ has both antiviral and immunomodulatory effects in HBeAg carriers with chronic liver disease.