Patients with IL-21rs907715 AG/GG genotype had higher serum IL-21 levels than those with rs907715 AA genotype (P = .021).IL-21rs2221903 and rs907715 polymorphisms were significantly associated with the treatment response to PEG-IFN α among Chinese HBeAg-positive CHB patients.
A raised percentage of PD-1 on circulating CD4<sup>+</sup>CXCR5<sup>+</sup> cells and decreased IL-21-producing circulating CD4<sup>+</sup>CXCR5<sup>+</sup> cells were observed in CHB and LC.
The T allele of IL-21rs12508721 may lower HBeAg<sup>+</sup> CHB susceptibility but enhance PEG-IFNa-2α response, and the GA genotype and the A allele of IL-23R rs11209026 may reduce the susceptibility to HBeAg<sup>+</sup> CHB.
We isolated T cells from different age groups of patients with CHB and used flow cytometric methods to measure production of effector and inflammatory cytokines (interferon, tumor necrosis factor, interleukin [IL]-17A, IL-22, and IL-8), T-helper (Th)2 cytokines (IL-10, IL-4), Th1 cytokines (IL-2 and IL-21), and the CC chemokine CCL3 (MIP-1).
The frequencies of IL-21-secreting CD4+ T cells were higher in HB-ACLF (both P < 0.001) and S-CHB (P = 0.002 and 0.001) as compared to M-CHB patients and controls.