Low thymosin alpha-1 concentrations in patients chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus.

Viral immunology199118 citationsPMID: 1810323

Plain Language Summary

This study found that patients with chronic hepatitis B infection have significantly lower serum thymosin alpha-1 concentrations compared to healthy controls (1,555 vs. 2,159 pg/mL). T-cell subset analysis also revealed decreased CD4 helper cells in HBsAg carriers. The thymosin alpha-1 deficiency was not associated with HBe antigen status or liver enzyme values. These findings suggest that chronic HBV carriers have a relative deficiency of this immunomodulatory peptide, which may contribute to the impaired T-cell response characteristic of chronic hepatitis B infection.

Abstract

Serum concentrations of thymosin alpha-1 (TA-1), an immunoregulatory peptide, were assayed in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and volunteer blood donor controls. Coded samples were tested using a radioimmunoassay. The TA-1 concentrations in HBsAg-positive patients averaged 1555 pg/ml, whereas in the control group, the mean TA-1 in serum was 2159 pg/ml (P less than 0.001). Similar results were found for age- and sex-matched pairs. The TA-1 concentration was not associated with HBe antigen/antibody status or with values of liver-associated enzymes. Analysis of T-cell subsets in nine HBsAg carriers revealed significantly decreased CD4 (helper)-cells, both in absolute numbers and as the percentage of total lymphocytes present. These data suggest that individuals with chronic hepatitis B infection have a relative deficiency of the immunomodulatory peptide TA-1, which may contribute to the characteristics of the resultant T-cell population.

Authors

Sherman, K E; Jones, C C; Goldstein, A L; Naylor, P H