EFFECTS OF INTERFERON-ALPHA TREATMENT ON HEPATITIS-B VIRUS ANTIGEN-SPECIFIC IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSES IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-B

Studies were undertaken to evaluate the relationship between the immun e responses and the effectiveness of interferon-alpha treatment in 21 patients with HBeAg-positive chronic active hepatitis. Peripheral bloo d mononuclear cells (PBMC), obtained on four occasions during an 8-wee k course of IFN-alpha therapy, were cultured with recombinant HBcAg, p urified HBeAg or pokeweed mitogen (PWM). During follow-up for 6 months after therapy, clearance of serum HBeAg was observed in eight patient s designated as responders. Immunological responses of PBMC obtained b efore treatment did not differ between responders and non-responders. In responders, IFN-gamma and anti-HBc production was depressed during therapy. but recovered to above the pretreatment level at the end of a nd/of after cessation of therapy, while lymphocyte proliferation was e nhanced during therapy with a subsequent decline to baseline value. In non-responders, such changes were modest throughout the study, and an ti-HBc response remained decreased even after cessation of therapy. Th ese results indicate that PBMC of responders have immunologically diff erent responses to IFN-alpha therapy when compared with non-responders .