Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is susceptible to the cellular immune responses, especially to the signal of interferon (IFN)-gamma. The action of IFN-gamma is pleiotropic, and causes downregulation of HBV in protein, RNA, and possibly DNA levels. Therefore, therapeutic vaccination to induce cellular immune responses to HBV is a promising approach for controlling chronic HBV infection. A number of clin...

BACKGROUND Clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection requires a good host immune response. Cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- alpha) may play a role in such immune response. Genetic changes in TNF-a gene promoter region are known to influence TNF- alpha expression. We therefore studied the role of one such mutation in chronic HBV infection. METHODS Presence of -308 G/A poly...

HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection increases HIV and HBV replication, hepatitis flares, and risk of progression to chronic HBV infection, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. HIV and HBV coinfection decreases frequency of hepatitis Be antibody (anti-HBe) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) seroconversion, increases risk of antiretroviral therapy-related hepatotoxicity, and ...

background hepatitis b virus (hbv) infection is much more common in hemodialysis patients than the general population. these patients have an impaired immune response to hbv vaccination; to that end there are certain studies that have evaluated levamisole as an immunomodulator agent improving hbv vaccination response rate in hemodialysis patients. objectives in the current review, we have assem...

BACKGROUND  We aimed to elucidate the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore/core gene mutations on spontaneous hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion, HBV biosynthesis, and the human immune responses in chronic HBV-infected patients. METHODS  We analyzed the HBV precore/core gene sequences by cloning method in 33 chronic HBV-infected patients during the inflammatory phase before spo...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) release in response to platelet-activating factor (PAF) induction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers. METHODS Subjects were grouped into three subgroups. The mean age was 37 +/- 10 years. Group A (n = 15), group B (n = 10) a...

we developed an immunogen to stimulate multivalent immunity against hepatitis b surface antigen (hbsag) and hepatitis b core antigens (hbcag). immune responses specific for both hbsag and hbcag play an important role in controlling the infection. hbsag-specific antibodies mediate elimination of virions at an early stage of infection and prevent the spread of virus. the immunogen was constructed...

We examined the role of human cytokines in the natural course of hepatitis B surface Ag (HBsAg) seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The clinical course of spontaneous HBsAg seroconversion was assessed in 296 chronically HBV-infected patients. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12β, IL-13, IL-27, and IFN-γ genes were examined in 296 ch...

Background: In patients who are hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA-positive, but HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) -negative, the infection is referred to as occult hepatitis B infection (OBI). Occult HBV infection is harmful when other liver diseases are present, and can aggravate liver damage in in patients with chronic liver diseases. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection the suppression of vir...

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a prototype for liver-specific pathogens in which the failure of the immune system to mount an effective response leads to chronic infection. Our understanding of the immune response to HBV is incomplete, largely due to the narrow host restriction of this pathogen and the limitations of existing experimental models. We have developed a murine model for studying human ...