The Influence Of Maternal Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) Injection In The Third Trimester Of Pregnancy On Neonatal T Lymphocyte Subpopulations

OBJECTIVE1.To study the change of neonatal T lymphocyte subpopulations after intrauterine exposure to hepatitis B virus(HBV).2.To evaluate the influence of maternal hepatitis B immunoglobulin(HBIG) injection in the third trimester of pregnancy on neonatal T lymphocyte subpopulations.METHODS65 neonates born to mother with seropositive((+);seronegative as(-)) hepatitis B surface antigen(HBsAg) were enrolled in HBV group,and divided into different subgroups based on maternal e antigen(HBeAg) status as HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(-) group vs HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(+) group,or as HBV-DNA(+) group vs HBV-DNA (-) group according to qualitative analysis results of maternal HBV DNA copies. Their mothers were introduced antenatal HBIG administration or not on volunteer basis.Meanwhile 45 neonates born to HBsAg(-) / HBeAg(-) parents were recruited as control.Peripheral venous blood specimens from all the neonates were collected before passive and/or active immunization,and subjected to HBV-Markers detection by ELISA,HBV-DNA qualitative analysis by fluorescence quantitative PCR,and T lymphocyte subpopulations counting for CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ by flow cytometry. RESULTS1.The influence of maternal HBIG injection in the third trimester of pregnancy on neonatal HBV-Markers and HBV-DNA1.1 In spite of maternal HBeAg status,there were no significant differences in seropositive rate of hepatitis B surface antibody(HBsAb) between the neonates born to HBIG-treated and non-HBIG-treated mothers in HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(-) group,as well as in HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(+) group(P=-0.58,P=-0.627).1.2 In spite of maternal HBV-DNA status,there were no significant differences in seropositive rate of HBsAb between the neonates born to HBIG-treated and non-HBIG-treated mothers in HBV-DNA(-) group,as well as in HBV-DNA(+) group(P=-1,P=1).2.The influence of Maternal HBeAg or HBV-DNA seropositivity on neonatal T lymphocyte subpopulations2.1 Considering maternal HBeAg status,among those who born to non-HBIG-treated mother,the percentage of CD3+CD8+ in HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(+) group was lower than that in HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(-) group(P=-0.029),while CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly higher in the former group(P=0.044).No significance was found in percentages of CD3+CD4+ between HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(+) group and HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(-) group.2.2 Considering maternal HBV-DNA status,among those who born to non-HBIG-treated mother,the percentage of CD3+CD8+ in HBV-DNA(+) group was lower than that in HBV-DNA(-) group(P=-0.006),while CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly higher in the former group(P=0.007).No significance was found in percentages of CD3+CD4+ between HBV-DNA(+) group and HBV-DNA(-) group.3.The influence of HBIG injection in the third trimester of pregnancy on neonatal T lymphocyte subpopulations3.1 Among those who born to HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(+) mother,the babies born to non-HBIG-treated mother had lower CD3+CD8+ percentage and higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio than those of the controls(P=-0.005,P=-0.021).The CD3+CD8+ percentage and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in babies born to HBIG-treated mother was similar to those of controls.Babies born to HBsAg(+)/HBeAg(-) mother had similar levels of T lymphocyte subpopulations to the control group,in spite of the application of HBIG..3.2 Among those who born to HBV-DNA(+) mother,the babies born to non-HBIG-treated mother had lower CD3+CD8+ percentage and higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio than those of the controls(P=0.003,P=0.035).While the babies born to HBIG-treated mother had similar levels of T lymphocyte subpopulations to the control group.Babies born to HBV-DNA(-) mother had similar levels of T lymphocyte subpopulations to the control group,in spite of the application of HBIG..CONCLUSION1.Maternal HBIG administration in the third trimester of pregnancy may have no influence on the HBsAb seropositive rate of their neonates.2.Maternal seropositivity of HBeAg and/or HBV-DNA may result in disturbance of neonatal T lymphocyte subpopulations.3.Antenatal HBIG injection could regulate the distribution of T lymphocyte subpopulations in neonates born to HBsAg(+) / HBeAg(+) and/or HBV-NDA(+) mothers.4.That antenatal HBIG injection had unnoticible influence on neonatal T lymphocyte subpopulations may lie in the hyothesis that HBeAg and HBV-DNA seronegativity probably seldom suppressed the neonatal immune system.