Clinical analysis of changes on peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Objective To analyze the relationship of the expression of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes) and regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+ Treg) with the level of HCV RNA in the patients with chronic hepatitis C(CHC). Methods According to the level of HCV RNA, 128 CHC cases were divide into HCV RNA negative group (n=48) , low virus group (n=40, HCV RNA<105 IU/mL) and high virus group (n= 40, HCV RNA ≥105 IU/mL) , and other 30 healthy persons were selected as control. The peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets and regulatory T lymphocytes of 4 groups were detected. The differences were analyzed among the 4 groups. Results The expression of CD4+CD25+Treg in high virus group, low virus group, negative group and control group were (13.57±1.87)%, (9.38±1.74)%, (5.95±1.28)% and (5.89±1.15)%, respectively. There were statistical differences among the 4 groups (F=35.28, P<0.01). The level of CD4+ CD25+ Treg increased with the increasing of HCV RNA. The level of CD4+CD25+ Treg showed positive correlation with HCV RNA (r=0.625, P< 0.05). The differences of CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ among the 4 groups had statistical significances (F=21.51, 28.52 and 15.51, P all <0.01). Among them, CD4+ lymphocyte and CD4+/CD8+ in high virus group were lower than other 3 groups, and those in low virus group were lower than negative group and control group (P all <0.05). Conclusions The percentage of CD4 + CD25+ Treg in patients with CHC has positive correlation with the level of HCV RNA. It suggests that CD4+CD25+Treg may play a role in chronic progress of HCV infection. The percentage of CD4+ lymphocyte and CD4+/CD8+ decrease significantly with the increasing of HCV RNA level, which demonstrates that the higher the level of HCV RNA is, the more obvious the depression of immunity will be. Key words: Hepatitis C; HCV RNA; T lymphocyte, adjustment; T lymphocyte subsets