Objectives: To investigate the profile of liver histological damage after autologous adoptive immunotherapy with cytokine-induced killer cells (CIK cells) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
Methods: 16 CHB patients were randomly enrolled and received autologous adoptive immunotherapy, then followed up 52 weeks. Liver samples were taken from the patients to evaluate the degree of inflammation and fibrosis. The markers of hepatitis B virus and liver function were also detected.
Results: 4 patients had two liver-biopsied samples before therapy and after 52 weeks follow-up. One patient's histological assessment revealed a significant improvement in intralobular necroinflammation (G2 --> G1) and fibrosis (S2 --> S1). The others failed to show obvious changes in liver histology. After 10 days culture in vitro, phenotypic characterization of CIK cells changed significantly by flow cytometry. The percentage of CD4+ cells decreased gradually, while the percentage of CD8+ cells increased from 20% to 60% - 80%. After 52 weeks follow-up, HBV DNA was negative (HBV DNA<4pg/ml in serum) in 6 out of 14 patients. The rates of both HBeAg/anti-HBe seroconversion and alanine aminotransferase normalization were 42.86%(6/14). There was no HBsAg/anti-HBs seroconversion. There was few severe treatment-related adverse events.
Conclusion: Autologous adoptive immunotherapy doesn't induce the damage of liver histology in chronic hepatitis B patients, which inhibits hepatitis B virus replication by a certain noncytotoxic mechanism.