Involvement of Fas receptors (CD95) and ligands (CD95L) in CD4+ T-cells and, CD8+ T-cells depletion and hepatic cytolysis in patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis B

Chronic Viral Hepatitis B (VHB) is characterized by a progressive destruction of hepatocytes and T-lymphocyte depletion. The mechanisms of the CD95-CD95L signaling pathway during chronic VHB and cirrhotic process remains unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the involvement of the CD95-CD95L receptor-ligands in T-lymphocyte depletion and hepatic cytolysis in patients with chronic VHB. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2018, at the Yaounde General Hospital, Cameroon. Four milliliters of blood were collected and analyzed. The CD95, CD95L levels and CD4+, CD8+ T-cell counts were performed by ELISA and Flow cytometry, respectively. The data were analyzed using EpiInfo 7.0 and GraphPad PRISM 5.0, with the significant threshold set at p ≤ 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval. Results: Of the 130 patients, 36 (27.7%) were cirrhotic, and 94 (72.3%) were non-cirrhotic. The plasma level of CD95 and CD95L were significaly elevated in cirrhotic patients, compared with non-cirrhotic patients (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001 respectively). CD4/CD8 ratios were lower in cirrhotic patients, compared with non-cirrhotic patients (p < 0.001). There were statistically significant correlations between CD95 and CD4+, between CD95 and CD8+, between CD95 and CD4/CD8 ratio, between CD95 and fibrosis scores and between CD95L and fibrosis score. Conclusion: CD95-CD95L could be involved in T-lymphocyte depletion and hepatic cytolysis during the pathogenesis of chronic VHB, and could be used as biomarkers for immunological and hepatic monitoring in patients with chronic VHB.