Analysis of HBV-Specific CD4 T-cell Responses and Identification of HLA-DR-Restricted CD4 T-Cell Epitopes Based on a Peptide Matrix

J Vis Exp. 2021 Oct 20:(176). doi: 10.3791/62387.

Abstract

CD4 T cells play important roles in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B. As a versatile cell population, CD4 T cells have been classified as distinct functional subsets based on the cytokines they secreted: for example, IFN-γ for CD4 T helper 1 cells, IL-4 and IL-13 for CD4 T helper 2 cells, IL-21 for CD4 T follicular helper cells, and IL-17 for CD4 T helper 17 cells. Analysis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-specific CD4 T cells based on cytokine secretion after HBV-derived peptides stimulation could provide information not only about the magnitude of HBV-specific CD4 T-cell response but also about the functional subsets of HBV-specific CD4 T cells. Novel approaches, such as transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis, could provide more detailed functional information about HBV-specific CD4 T cells. These approaches usually require isolation of viable HBV-specific CD4 T cells based on peptide-major histocompatibility complex-II multimers, while currently the information about HBV-specific CD4 T-cell epitopes is limited. Based on an HBV-derived peptide matrix, a method has been developed to evaluate HBV-specific CD4 T-cell responses and identify HBV-specific CD4 T-cell epitopes simultaneously using peripheral blood mononuclear cells samples from chronic HBV infection patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte*
  • HLA-DR Antigens
  • Hepatitis B virus
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic*
  • Humans
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear
  • Peptides

Substances

  • Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte
  • HLA-DR Antigens
  • Peptides
  • Interferon-gamma