Alteration of interferon-α/β receptors in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background: The present study determined type I interferon (IFN) receptor (interferon-α/β receptor (IFNAR)) and its predicable role in interferon-α2b treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.

Methods: Expression of IFN-α/βR-1 and IFN-α/βR-2 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in liver tissue was measured by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.

Results: IFN-α/βR-1 and IFN-α/βR-2 in monocytes and lymphocytes increased in CHB patients. Expression of IFNAR-1 and IFNAR-2 in liver had positive correlation with HBV-DNA in liver tissue. Expression of IFN-α/βR in lymphocytes and monocytes increased in the first month, but then decreased during the subsequent interferon-α2b treatment, patients who had higher levels of IFN-α/βR-2 in monocytes prior to therapy showed better viral response than those with lower levels.

Conclusions: Expression of IFN-α/βR-2 in monocytes can be used as a predictable parameter to evaluate the effect of IFN-α treatment in CHB patients.