Study finds how novel immune cell therapy can fight hepatitis B infections

Washington [US], April 10 : Researchers found out how chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes gradual liver damage, and eradicating the virus remains a daunting challenge.

According to new research published in FEBS Letters, therapy that amplifies the impact of immune cells known as stem cell memory T cells (TSCMs) could be a promising technique for treating HBV.

In the study, investigators identified TSCMs in patients with chronic HBV infection and analyzed their effects in a mouse model of HBV. After introducing TSCMs from patients into the mice, the immune cells differentiated into cytotoxic T cells and activated a strong response that resulted in the elimination of HBV-infected liver cells. Therefore, augmenting patients' TSCMs may help the immune system overcome the virus.

"Our hepatitis model may reveal how TSCMs differentiate into cytotoxic T cells and uncover the fate of differentiated T cells. Such information could greatly advance future research on T cell-based therapies," said corresponding author Hiromi Abe-Chayama, PhD, of Hiroshima University, in Japan.

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