PREDOMINANT T-HELPER-1 CYTOKINE PROFILE OF HEPATITIS-B VIRUS NUCLEOCAPSID-SPECIFIC T-CELLS IN ACUTE SELF-LIMITED HEPATITIS-B

The cytokine pattern secreted by T cells on viral antigen recognition is believed to exert a profound influence on both the type of disease caused by the infecting agent and the final outcome of the viral infec tion. To characterize the cytokine pattern associated with spontaneous resolution of acute hepatitis B, we analyzed interferon gamma (IFN-ga mma), interleukin (IL)-4, and IL-5 production by a wide series of hepa titis B virus (HBV) nucleocapsid-specific T-cell Lines (34 lines) and T-cell clones (71 clones) derived from the peripheral blood of 13 pati ents during the acute or recovery phase of hepatitis B (2 and 7 of the m were studied only in the recovery or the acute phase, respectively, and 4 during both). Most T-cell lines (67%) and clones (77%) isolated during the acute phase of infection expressed a T-helper (Th) 1 cytoki ne profile dominated by the production of IFN-gamma. A larger proporti on (74%) of T-cell lines produced several years after resolution of he patitis was able to secrete not only IFN gamma,but also IL 4 and IL-5 (Th0-like cells). Results indicate that the antigen-specific fraction of peripheral blood T cells in acute self limited hepatitis B selectiv ely secrete Th1-type cytokines, suggesting that Th1-mediated effects m ay contribute not only to liver cell injury, but probably also to reco very from disease and successful control of infection.