[Expressions and significance of B7-H1 and programmed death-1 in lymphocytes from patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection].

Objective: To examine the expressions of B7-H1 and its receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1) on circulating T cells and myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and to investigate the correlation between their expressions and their disease status.

Methods: The expressions of B7-H1 and PD-1 on mDCs and T lymphocytes in 30 patients with chronic HBV infection and 28 healthy controls were analyzed by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). Real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the serum HBV DNA load.

Results: Both B7-H1 and PD-1 were significantly upregulated on T cells and mDCs in those patients. Their expressions were positively correlated with the patients serum ALT levels and HBV DNA loads.

Conclusion: B7-H1 and PD-1 expressions in our patients with chronic hepatitis B are closely associated with their disease status.