MicroRNA-155 levels in peripheral blood CD₄⁺ and CD₈⁺ T cells of chronic hepatitis B patients

ObjectiveTo study the miR-155 levels in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B and its relationship with immune activation.

MethodsEighty-one patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 77 HBV carriers and 51 healthy controls were recruited.HBV DNA and serologic tests were carried out for each subject.Levels of miR-155 in peripheral blood were detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.Immune activation of T cells was determined by detection of surface molecules CD₃₈ using flow cytometry.

ResultsWe found higher miR-155 levels in CD₄⁺ and CD₈⁺ T cells of CHB patients (689.37±139.43 and 2 735.05±397.56) than in HBV carriers (420.64±101.32 and 1 287.46±323.51) or healthy controls (271.83±72.95 and 624.62±158.33) (P < 0.01), and miR-155 levels in CD₈⁺ T cells of HBV carriers were higher than in healthy controls(P < 0.01). Furthermore, immune activation of CD₄⁺ and CD₈⁺ T cells (52.93± 8.64)% and(69.28±14.85)% in CHB patients was much higher than that in healthy controls (22.34± 5.98)% and (28.64±9.53)% (P < 0.01).

ConclusionmiR-155 expression in CD₄⁺ and CD₈⁺ T cells of CHB patients is increased and positively correlated with T cell activation.