AN INCREASED NUMBER OF CIRCULATING GAMMA DELTA TCR+ T-CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC VIRAL-HEPATITIS/

There is evidence that gamma/delta TCR+ T cells are specialized in rec ognizing different antigens, but their immunologic role as a second TC R is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the perce ntage and absolute numbers of circulating gamma/delta TCR+ T cells in patients with chronic viral hepatitis (CVH) and to compare with HBsAg( +), HCV healthy carriers and healthy subjects. Forty nine patients wit h CVH-24 with chronic active (CAH) and 25 with chronic persistent hepa titis (CPH)-, 21 HBsAg(+), 20 HCV asymptomatic carriers and 20 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Lymphocyte subsets were determin ed after incubation with monoclonal antibodies to T total (CD5) and T gamma/delta cells (TCR-gamma/delta-1) using immunofluorescence microsc opy. An increased number of circulating gamma/delta TCR+ T cells was f ound in patients with CVH in comparison with asymptomatic carriers and normal controls: this increase was more profound in patients with CAH , compared to CPH patients. These results indicate a correlation betwe en circulating gamma/delta TCR+ T cells in CVH patients and activity a nd chronicity of the disease.