Abstract

B1 cell-derived natural antibodies are non-specific polyreactive antibodies and can activate the complement pathway leading to lysis of enveloped virus particles before activation of the adaptive immune response. We investigated the relationship between natural antibody levels and treatment outcomes of 126 treatment-naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, who underwent entecavir (ETV) treatment. Serum IgG1-3 and complement C3 levels were significantly higher in HBeAg-positive patients. In pre-treatment, IgG1 (odd ratios [OR] 2.3, p < 0.0001), IgG2 (OR 9.8, p < 0.0001), IgG3 (OR 7.4, p < 0.0001), and C3 (OR 7.2, p < 0.0001) were associated with HBeAg-positive patients. At baseline, IgG2 (OR 10.2, p = 0.025), IgG4, (OR 3.4, p = 0.026), and complement C1q (OR 5.0, p = 0.0068) were associated with seroconverters. Post-treatment levels of IgG1-4 and C3/C1q were also associated with HBeAg-positive patients and seroconverters. High levels of IgG2-4 and C1q were observed in seroconverters but not in virological responders. Thus, high pretreatment and post-treatment levels of natural antibody IgG1-4, complement C3, and/or C1q were significantly associated with HBeAg-positivity and HBeAg seroconverters in CHB patients with ETV treatment. These results suggest that the presence of preexisting host immunity against chronic hepatitis B is closely related to outcome of ETV treatment.

Details

Title
Natural antibody IgG levels are associated with HBeAg-positivity and seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with entecavir
Author
Choi, Youkyung H. 1 ; Lee, Hyun Woong 2 ; Purdy, Michael A. 1 

 National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Laboratory Branch, Division of Viral Hepatitis, Atlanta, USA (GRID:grid.416738.f) (ISNI:0000 0001 2163 0069) 
 Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea (GRID:grid.15444.30) (ISNI:0000 0004 0470 5454) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2638863007
Copyright
© This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.