Expression of NKp46 and NKG2A in peripheral blood NK cells of patients with chronic hepatitis B

Objective To determine the frequency of NK cells and expression of their receptors,including NKG2A and NKp46,in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells（PBMC）were separated from patients and healthy controls.Frequency of NK cells and expression of their receptors were detected by flow cytometry. Results The number of NK cells in peripheral blood of chronic hepatitis B patients was less at immunoclearence phase（10.91%±3.93%,n=21）than at immunotolerance phase（15.65%±5.58%,n=15,P=0.024）and than that of healthy controls（14.23%±7.37%,n=25,P=0.011）.In contrast,the expression level of NKp46 was significantly higher in patients at immunoclearence phase（45.45%±14.00%,n=19）than at immunotolerant phase（23.35%±6.56%,n=8,P＜0.001）and than that in healthy controls（31.69%±13.07%,n=20,P=0.001）.Moreover,the NKG2A expression level was higher in patients at immunoclearence phase（35.62%±13.20%,n=19）than at immunotolerant phase（25.57%±5.56%,n=8,P=0.038）and than that in healthy controls（26.80%±10.49%,n=20,P=0.047）. Conclusion The frequency of NK cells in peripheral blood of patients at immunoclearence phase is decreased whereas the expression of NKp46 and NKG2A is up-regulated,which is related to viral immunoclearence.