| First Author | Fumagalli V | Year | 2020 |
| Journal | J Exp Med | Volume | 217 |
| Issue | 11 | PubMed ID | 32761167 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:298713 | Mgi Id | MGI:6477219 |
| Doi | 10.1084/jem.20200298 | Citation | Fumagalli V, et al. (2020) Serum HBsAg clearance has minimal impact on CD8+ T cell responses in mouse models of HBV infection. J Exp Med 217(11) |
| abstractText | Antibody-mediated clearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) from the circulation of chronically infected patients (i.e., seroconversion) is usually associated with increased HBV-specific T cell responsiveness. However, a causative link between serum HBsAg levels and impairment of intrahepatic CD8+ T cells has not been established. Here we addressed this issue by using HBV replication-competent transgenic mice that are depleted of circulating HBsAg, via either spontaneous seroconversion or therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, as recipients of HBV-specific CD8+ T cells. Surprisingly, we found that serum HBsAg clearance has only a minimal effect on the expansion of HBV-specific naive CD8+ T cells undergoing intrahepatic priming. It does not alter their propensity to become dysfunctional, nor does it enhance the capacity of IL-2-based immunotherapeutic strategies to increase their antiviral function. In summary, our results reveal that circulating HBsAg clearance does not improve HBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses in vivo and may have important implications for the treatment of chronic HBV infection. |
