The Study On Antiviral Activity In PBMCs Of CHB Patients Treated With IFN-α And 3-TC In Vitro

Objective The primary aim of this study is to explore influence of IFN-α and 3-TC to the expression of the JAK-STAT signaling pathways molecules and antiviral protein in PBMCs of CHB patients.Methods PBMCs samples were collected from 60 patients with CHB which had not received any treatment and 66 healthy participants from liver disease department outpatient of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University by density gradient centrifugation. PBMCs were cultured and divided into control group, IFN-αstimulation group, lamivudine stimulation group and combined treatment group separately. The expressions of molecules of JAK-STAT signal transduction pathway(STAT1, STAT2, IRF9)and the antiviral protein Mx A were investigated using the real-time PCR and western blot methods to study on antiviral activity in PBMCs treated with IFN-α and 3-TC in vitro and to explore the influence of HBV to the JAK-STAT signaling pathways.Results The study found that the majority of IFN-α inducible genes were expressed.The molecules of JAK-STAT signal transduction pathway(STAT1, STAT2, IRF9) and the antiviral protein(Mx A) were highly expressed in IFN-α stimulation group and the combined treatment group. Compared to healthy controls, the expression levels of molecules(STAT1, IRF9) and the antiviral protein(Mx A) are significantly lower in the control group, IFN-α stimulation group and the combined treatment group of the CHB patients.Conclusions HBV may decrease the expression of antiviral protein Mx A to antagonize the antiviral activity of IFN-α through affecting JAK-STAT signal transduction pathways in PBMCs of CHB patients. The combined effect of 3-TC and IFN-α could significantly enhance the expression of JAK- STAT pathway molecules to increase expression of antiviral protein Mx A and strengthen the antiviral activity of IFN-α in PBMCs of CHB patients.