Molecular profile of the T cell receptor beta variable in peripheral blood lymphocytes from chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers

T cell receptor beta variable (TCRBV) repertoire could imply the composition and function status of T cells in subjects with HBV infection. The gene melting spectral pattern (GMSP) can be used to determine the profile of TCRBV gene family. The molecular profile of TCRBV in peripheral lymphocytes from asymptomatic HBV carriers (AsC) remains ill-defined. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated and sorted, and the profiles of TCRBV complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) in CD4(+), CD8(+) T subsets and PBMCs were assayed using GMSP. The number of skewed TCRBV in the PBMCs was significantly lower than that in the CD4(+) or CD8(+) T subsets, and the number of monoclonal TCRBV families in the CD8(+) T subset was significantly higher than that in CD4(+) T subset. Compared to healthy donors, TCRBV11, BV13.1, BV20 and BV24 were used more frequently than other TCRBV members in PBMCs from AsC subjects. Furthermore, the relatively conserved CDR3 motifs were detected in these TCRBVs. The results indicate that the T cell response in AsC subjects involves several TCRBVs, and that the CD8(+) T subset maybe more relevant to pathogenesis of AsC. Moreover, the four relative conserved TCRBVs maybe a target for personalized treatments for persistent HBV infection.