Fig. 4

Dynamic changes of HBV-specific T cells and sero-virological parameters in CHB patients. 33 CHB patients undergoing routine treatment were followed by HBV-specific T cell detection and sero-virological parameters collections for three times at an interval of 3–5 months. A, B Dynamic changes of total HBV-specific T cells and the specific T cells reactive to each HBV protein in 33 CHB patients. C Dynamic changes of HBV DNA (n = 18), HBsAg (n = 27), HBeAg (n = 19), ALT (n = 32), and AST (n = 32) levels. Then, the dynamic changes of HBV-specific T cells in CHB patients with different fluctuation courses of D HBV DNA load (decrease, n = 7; no alternation, n = 3; increase, n = 2), E HBsAg level (decrease, n = 18; no alternation, n = 10), F HBeAg level (seroconversion, n = 4; retained, n = 13), and G ALT level (normal, n = 14; decrease, n = 12; increase, n = 7) were presented. The patients who achieved DNA fluctuations (increase or decrease) > 30% were defined as the DNA-increase or DNA-decrease group, and the other patients were defined as DNA-no alternations group. HBsAg-decrease was defined as an amplitude decrement of more than 30%. CHB patients who experienced a positive HBeAg serology (HBeAg COI > 1) at first and seroconverted (HBeAg COI < 1) later were defined as the HBeAg-seroconversion group. ALT-decrease was defined as a decline to the normal range (< 40 IU/L) or decreased more than 30%, while ALT that rose more than 30% or beyond 40 IU/L was defined as ALT-increase. The paired, two-tailed Student’s t tests between two groups and Kruskal–Wallis test (K–W) across more than two groups were performed