Effects of alpha-interferon on gamma-interferon production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in hepatitis B virus carriers.

We studied gamma-interferon production of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to alpha-interferon in hepatitis B virus carriers and healthy individuals. The magnitude of gamma-interferon production was significantly higher in patients with anti-HBe antibody than in patients with HBe antigen and healthy individuals. Furthermore, alpha-interferon augmented the production of gamma-interferon of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with active liver injury [serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), greater than 40 U/L], but not that from patients with inactive liver injury (serum ALT, less than 40 U/L) or healthy individuals. These results suggested that alpha-interferon could enhance the cellular immune response against hepatitis B virus by augmenting the endogenous production of gamma-interferon in patients with active liver injury, implying that the responsiveness to alpha-interferon might be responsible for liver cell injury.