TIM-3 as a marker of exhaustion in CD8 T cells of active chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background: Chronic HBV infection presents weak or no virus-specific T-cell responses, implying to an exhausted phenotype, characterized by overexpression of several inhibitory receptors. In the present study, it was aimed to characterize the panel of inhibitory molecules on the CD8 T cells in patients with active chronic HBV infection.

Methods: In this study, 31 active and 32 inactive individuals with chronic HBV infection were recruited.