The Analysis Of CD45 Isoforms Expression On HBV-Specific T Cells After Liver Transplantation

[Backgrounds] This study aimed to analyze the expression of CD45 on HBV-specific T cells in patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT).[Methods] We detected the distribution of two CD45 isoforms (CD45RA, CD45RO) and CD27 on peripheral blood lymphocytes including two HBV-specific pentamer cells by flow cytometry. Meanwhile the levels of Tacrolimus, plasma IL-7 and IL-15 were tested by ELISA. A total of 31 HBV-associated liver transplantation recipients were enrolled in this study. As non-operative treatment groups, acute hepatitis B patients (AHB, n=4) and chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB, n=33) were chosen. Ten adult healthy donors (4 men,6 women; median age,45 years; range,25-61) were included as negative control.[Results] CD45RA decreased sharply after LT whereas the expression of CD45RO+ changed very a little. The proportion of CD4+CD27+subsets increased in the span from first 6 to 36 months after LT. With the up-regulation of IL-7, CD45RA+CD27+was reduced and CD45RO+was increased on HBV-specific T cells in LT group compared to CHB.[Conclusion] Therefore, the switch from CD45RA to CD45RO probably depended on IL-7, without being stimulated by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and proliferated by IL-15. IL-7 could aid to maintain HBV-specific T cells effectively during 3 years.