FREQUENCY-ANALYSIS OF PROLIFERATING AND CYTOTOXIC T-CELLS IN LIVERS AND PERIPHERAL-BLOOD OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B

Frequencies of proliferating and cytotoxic lymphocytes from liver biop sy samples and peripheral blood of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and control subjects were monitored by limiting dilution analysis. Pre cursor frequencies of proliferating T lymphocytes were not significant ly different in the liver and peripheral blood compartments of patient s and controls. Moreover, similar frequencies of natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes were observed in the peripheral blood of p atients and controls. A higher frequency of cytotoxic T cells (1 of 22 ) compared to NK cells (1 of 306) was observed in liver tissues of CHB patients. Dual colour flow cytometric analysis revealed the presence of both CD4(+) HLA-DR(+) and CD8(+) HLA-DR(+) T cells in the liver tis sues. These results suggest that in livers of CHB patients not only ac tivated CD8(+) T cells but also activated CD4(+) T cells may play a si gnificant role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B.