Higher Serum Levels of Type I Interferon Receptor in Adults with Chronic Hepatitis B Leading to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Clearance

Loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection is a favorable outcome. Type I interferon (IFNI) has an essential role to fight virus infections when they bind to the IFN-α/β receptor (IFNAR). Free-circulating IFNARs, known as IFNAR2, perform as carrier proteins to keep the ligands from proteolysis as well as antagonists for ligand binding..
In this study, we evaluated the HBsAg titer and IFNAR2 in serum baseline of a subcohort of Iranian HBeAg-negative patients with chronic hepatitis B..
Sixty-four patients who spontaneously cleared HBsAg and 100 chronic hepatitis B patients enrolled in this study for assessment of the serum levels of HBsAg and IFNAR2..
Serum levels of HBsAg and IFNAR2 were both powerfully associated with loss of HBsAg. The baseline HBsAg titer was significantly lower (333.72 ± 1300 IU/mL vs 3811 ± 6779 IU/mL, P = 0.00) and the IFNAR2 serum level was significantly higher (1.64 ± 0.6 vs 0.87 ± 0.5 ng/mL, P = 0.00) in those who cleared HBsAg compared to the CHB patients..
These findings indicated the association of the HBsAg titer and serum IFNAR2 in HBsAg clearance in hepatitis B virus- infected patients. In consequence, immune mechanisms related to IFN-α/β signaling might be responsible in CHB outcome..