Effect of Thymosin-α 1 on T-helper 1 Cell and T-helper 2 Cell Cytokine Synthesis in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus e Antigen-positive Chronic Hepatitis B

Abstract

Thymosin-α₁ (TA₁) has been shown to be effective treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This study investigated the immune response after TA₁ monotherapy in 25 HBV e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients randomized to receive either 1.6 mg active TA₁ (group A), 1.6 mg recombinant TA₁ (group B) or 3.2 mg recombinant TA₁ (group C) monotherapy for 52 weeks. The percentages of T-helper 1 (T_h1) cytokine-producing T-cells (interleukin-2 [IL-2], interferon-γ [IFN-γ], tumour necrosis factor-α) and T_h2 cytokine-producing T-cells (IL-4) were analysed using flow cytometry. In all patients treated with TA₁, cytokine levels and the proportion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells producing these cytokines were significantly increased, compared with baseline and healthy controls. The proportions of each cytokine-producing cell increased gradually over time and were restored to normal levels, and proportions of IFN-γ and IL-4-producing cells reached higher levels than in normal (healthy) controls. The results showed that treatment with TA₁ increased cytokine production, especially IFN-γ, and higher-dose TA₁ exhibited better efficacy against HBV, compared with other treatments studied.