Changes of lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of patients with hepatitis C

Objective: To investigate the changes of lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with hepatitis C.

Methods: A total of 219 patients with hepatitis C and 66 healthy individuals served as normal controls were enrolled in the study. The proportions of T-lymphocytes (CD45(+)CD3(+), CD45(+)CD3(+)CD4(+), CD45(+)CD3(+)CD8(+)), B-lymphocytes (CD45(+)CD3(-)CD19(+)), NK-lymphocyte (CD45(+)CD3(-)CD16(+)56(+)) in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry.

Results: The count of peripheral lymphocyte subsets of patients with hepatitis C decreased from the stage of chronic infection to decompensated cirrhosis. The numbers of CD4(+), CD8(+)and NK lymphocytes of patients with chronic hepatitis C were significantly lower than those in healthy individuals (P<0.05). In the early and decompensated stage of hepatic cirrhosis, the numbers of lymphocyte subsets of patients were significantly lower than those in patients with chronic hepatitis C (P<0.01), and they were significantly lower in decompensated cirrhosis than in early cirrhosis (P<0.01). The proportion of B lymphocyte and CD4/CD8 ratio of patients increased from chronic infection to decompensated cirrhosis. Compared with chronic infection, the proportion of B lymphocyte and CD4/CD8 ratio in early and decompensated cirrhosis increased significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05), while the proportion of NK lymphocyte was significantly reduced (P<0.01).

Conclusions: From the stage of chronic infection to decompensated cirrhosis, patients with hepatitis C were found with the decreased numbers of CD4(+)T, CD8(+) T and NK lymphocytes, and the increased proportion of B lymphocyte and CD4/CD8 ratio.