Expression and clinical significance of myeloid derived suppressor cells in chronic hepatitis B patients.

We here document discovery of expression profile of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and changes in the course of disease. The study population was composed of 75 outpatient HBV cases and 15 healthy control cases. Peripheral blood samples were collected for separation of mononuclear cells. Levels of MDSCs labeled with Lin-DR-CD11b+CD33+ obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), were revealed to have significant differences between the CHB and other groups. They were 0.414% for health control cases and 0.226% for CHB cases (Z=-2.356, p=0.0189). It also observed that the group of HBeAg positive cases had significant difference in MDSCs/ PBMC median (X(2)=11.877, p=0.003), compared with group of HBeAg negative cases and the healthy control group. It suggested considerable MDSCs might be involved in HBeAg immune tolerance. In addition, negative correlations between MDSCs/PBMC and parameters of ALT, AST and TBil, while positive correlation between MDSCs/ PBMC and ALB parameter were found. Multiple comparisons between the four phases and health control phase again, there was a statistically sifnificant difference (X(2)=17.198, p=0.002). Taken together, these findings may provide a new immunotherapy strategy for reduced the expression levels of MDSCs in CHB patients, through induction of an autoimmune response to virus removal.