Profiles of serum soluble programmed death‐1 and programmed death‐ligand 1 levels in chronic hepatitis B virus‐infected patients with different disease phases and after anti‐viral treatment

Abstract

Background: Soluble programmed death-1 (sPD-1) and soluble programmed deathligand 1 (sPD-L1) play a role in immune regulation of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Aim: To investigate the profiles of serum sPD-1 and sPD-L1 in chronic HBV-infected patients with different disease phases and after anti-viral treatment. Methods: A total of 99 chronic HBV-infected patients were enrolled and divided into HBeAg-positive chronic HBV infection (EPI) group, HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (EPH) group, HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (ENH) group and HBeAg-negative chronic HBV infection (ENI) group. Eleven healthy subjects were included as healthy controls (HCs). Thirty-two EPH patients received anti-viral treatment with nucleos(t) ide analogues and were followed up to 5 years. Serum sPD-1 and sPD-L1 levels were detected by Multiplex Immunoassays.Results: Serum sPD-1 and sPD-L1 levels of chronic HBV infected patients were significantly higher than that of HCs (P < 0.01). Patients in EPH, ENH and EPI groups had higher serum sPD-1 and sPD-L1 levels than that in HCs (P < 0.01). After antiviral treatment, serum sPD-1 and sPD-L1 levels declined rapidly. EPH patients with HBeAg clearance after 2 years of anti-viral treatment showed lower baseline HBeAg and sPD-1 levels compared to those without HBeAg clearance. Conclusions:Serum sPD-1 and sPD-L1 levels varied among chronic HBV infected patients with different disease phases. Lower baseline sPD-1 levels were associated with HBeAg clearance after 2 years of anti-viral treatment in EPH patients. | 1181XIA et Al.

Soluble programmed death-1 is predictive of hepatitis B surface antigen loss in chronic hepatitis B patients after antiviral treatment

“…However, their research showed similar results that patients with CHB had higher levels of sPD-1 than healthy controls. Consistent with Xia et al [ 11 ], our results showed that the sPD-1 levels were positively correlated with ALT and HBV DNA levels at 6 and 12 mo. The sPD-1 levels decreased in all patients after baseline, which might be associated with lower viral load and lower expression of viral antigen after antiviral treatment.…”

“…Different ELISA kits could contribute to discrepant results. Xia et al [ 11 ] used different ELISA kits for dosing sPD-1 Levels. There was a significant correlation between the sPD-1 levels and ALT levels at baseline in Zhou et al [ 9 ], but a weak correlation in Xia et al [ 11 ].…”

“…Xia et al [ 11 ] used different ELISA kits for dosing sPD-1 Levels. There was a significant correlation between the sPD-1 levels and ALT levels at baseline in Zhou et al [ 9 ], but a weak correlation in Xia et al [ 11 ]. However, their research showed similar results that patients with CHB had higher levels of sPD-1 than healthy controls.…”

Serum Soluble Programmed Death Ligand 1 is Correlated with HBsAg Level and Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis B

“…Increased serum sPD-L1 levels in chronic HBV infection, especially in the first step from health to infection, are in agreement with the latest report [32], the PD-1/PD-L1 axis serving as a negative immune regulator and HBV-induced expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. The positive correlation between serum sPD-L1 and HBsAg further supports the effect of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis on the chronicity of HBV infection.…”

Letter: programmed death‐1—a predictor for antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis B. Authors' reply

“…We thank Dr Vyas for his interest in our study on the profiles of serum soluble programmed death‐1 (sPD‐1) and programmed death‐ligand 1 (sPDL‐1) levels in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐infected patients with different disease phases and during anti‐viral treatment 1,2 . The letter raises several interesting points deserving clarification.…”