Hepatitis B virus-specific T cells associate with viral control upon nucleos(t)ide-analogue therapy discontinuation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The clinical management of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients is based exclusively on virological parameters that cannot independently determine in which patients nucleos(t)ide-analogue (NUC) therapy can be safely discontinued. NUCs efficiently suppress viral replication, but do not eliminate HBV. Thus, therapy discontinuation can be associated with virological and biochemical relapse and, consequently, therapy in the majority is life-long.

Methods

Since antiviral immunity is pivotal for HBV control, we investigated potential biomarkers for the safe discontinuation of NUCs within immune profiles of chronic HBV patients by utilizing traditional immunological assays (ELISPOT, flow cytometry) in conjunction with analyses of global non-antigen-specific immune po

SUBMITTER: Rivino L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5785266 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature