The Differential Gene Expression Of Lymphocytes In Chronic Hepatitis B Patients During Immune Tolerance Phase And Immune Clearance Phase

Objective :The infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) results in human an acute, chronic hepatitis, and hepatoma. The immune response to the HBV play an important role in pathogenesis of these diseases. The goal of this project is to figure out the differential gene expression of lymphocyts in chronic hepatitis B patients during immune tolerance phase and immune clearance phase, and to analyze the relationship between the gene expression and immune response.Methods:According to the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, Chronic hepatitis B patients were divided into immune tolerance group and immune clearance group, and the healthy people as the control group. TRI reagent was used to extracted the total RNA of the lymphocytes of all samples. Reverse transcription-PCR was used to label the cDNA probes with Cy3 labeled for the control group and Cy5 labeled for the immune tolerance group and immune clearance group. Then the labeled samples were hybridized with the cDNA microarray on slide (7,267 genes), and we scanned the chips by the ScanArray Express Laser Con-focal Scanner. PerkinElmer LAS software was used to analyze the data.ResultsThere were 419 genes expressed differently between immune tolerance group and control group, including 206 up-regulated and 213 down-regulated; There were 213 genes expressed differently between immune clearance group and immune tolerance group, including 111 up-regulated and 102 down-regulated. 47 genes expression were reverse relationship between the two phases. There were 6 genes down-regulated in immune tolerance phase but up-regulated in immune clearance phase and 41 genes up-regulated in immune tolerance phase but down-regulated in immune clearance phase.ConclusionThe gene expression profiles of lymphocytes in chronic hepatitis B patients during immune tolerance phase and immune clearance phase were found to be obvious different.By comparing the change of gene expression profile in patients during immune clearance phase and immune tolerance phase, the expression level of 47 genes were reverse. These genes may be critical for HBV escaping host immune response. On the other hand, they may be involved in the mechanisms that the lymphocytes to eliminate virus.