Dual color fluorescence analysis of peripheral T cell subsets in hepatitis B virus-induced liver disease

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Abstract
By using dual color fluorescence analysis, peripheral T cells can be divided into four different subsets, Leu-2a+, Leu-2a+15−, Leu-3a+8+ and Leu-3a+8− cells. The ratio of these T cell subsets in hepatitis B virus-induced hepatitis patients was studied and compared with that of controls. No significant difference was found in acute hepatitis and chronic hepatitis, but an elevation of Leu-2a+15− (29.5 ± 2.8% vs. 18.8 ± 4.1%, p < 0.05) as well as a reduction of Leu-2a+15+ cells (3.2 ± 0.7% vs. 10.4 ± 3.2%, p < 0.05) were found in fulminant hepatitis patients. In addition, serial studies of two fulminant hepatitis patients revealed that the imbalance of these two Leu-2a cells was only found in the acute phase, but not in the recovery phase. These results indicate that the imbalance of these two Leu-2a cells is associated with the clinical status of patients with fulminant hepatitis.