CD4+ T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B and T Cell-Directed Immunotherapy

Sonja I Buschow; Diahann T S L Jansen

doi:10.3390/cells10051114

CD4⁺ T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis B and T Cell-Directed Immunotherapy

Cells. 2021 May 6;10(5):1114. doi: 10.3390/cells10051114.

Authors

Sonja I Buschow¹, Diahann T S L Jansen¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract

The impaired T cell responses observed in chronic hepatitis B (HBV) patients are considered to contribute to the chronicity of the infection. Research on this impairment has been focused on CD8⁺ T cells because of their cytotoxic effector function; however, CD4⁺ T cells are crucial in the proper development of these long-lasting effector CD8⁺ T cells. In this review, we summarize what is known about CD4⁺ T cells in chronic HBV infection and discuss the importance and opportunities of including CD4⁺ T cells in T cell-directed immunotherapeutic strategies to cure chronic HBV.

Keywords: CD4+ T cells; hepatitis B virus; immunotherapy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Adult
Animals
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
Hepatitis B, Chronic / therapy*
Humans
Immunotherapy*

Grants and funding

2019-122/Erasmus MC grant