Abstract
Immunohistochemical expression of Interleukin-2 receptors (IL2R) was examined by an APAAP method in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 16 patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH), 10 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH), and 15 normal controls, treated in vitro with HBsAg, ConA, or PHA for 48 hr. The percentage of IL2R-positive cells was significantly lower in the PBMC of CAH and CPH subjects treated with HBsAg or ConA, but not so with PHA, than that in controls (p<0.01). No significant differences were observed between CAH and CPH subjects. IL2R-Positive cells were surrounded with many (7-12) IL2R-negative mononuclear cells following treatment with HBsAg, and this observed phenomenon was termed an IL2R-positive cell “rosette”. The prevalence of rosette formation was much higher in controls than that in CAH and CPH subjects (p<0.01). Typical rosette was not observed following treatment with ConA or PHA. The abnormal IL2R expression observed suggested a connection with the poor immune response of patients with chronic hepetitis B.
