Evaluation of the Effectiveness of NK Vue Gold Kit in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The associations between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and natural killer cell activity (NKA) have been studied. However, there have been no studies on detection of NKA in HBV patients using NK Vue Gold kit (ATGen Co., Korea), which has been developed in Korea and can easily detect NKA in whole blood. METHODS: A patient group of 40 patients diagnosed with hepatitis B antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B and a control group of 40 people eligible for blood donation were selected for this study. Whole blood (1 mL) was collected in special tubes for analysis with NK Vue Gold kit. The concentration of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) was measured and considered to represent NKA. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the median (value, range) of concentration of IFN-γ between the patient (2,000, 89–2,000 pg/mL) and control groups (1,786, 333–2,000 pg/mL). The concentration of IFN-γ was inversely correlated with leukocyte count in both patient (r=–0.390, P=0.022) and control (r=–0.339, P=0.032) groups. The concentration of IFN-γ in the patient group was inversely correlated with concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (r=–0.363, P=0.021), aspartate aminotransferase (r=–0.336, P=0.037), and bilirubin (r=–0.376, P=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in NKA between the patient and control group. Caution should be practiced when interpreting results of NKA, because leukocyte count can affect concentration of IFN-γ.

배경: B형간염과 natural killer (NK)세포의 연관성이 연구되고 있으나, 국내에서 개발되어 전혈에서간편하게 NK세포의 활성도를 측정할 수 있는 NK Vue Gold kit (ATGen Co., Korea)를 이용하여 B형간염 환자에서 실시한 NK세포 활성도에 대한 연구는 없는 실정이다. 방법: 환자군은 hepatitis B surface antigen 양성 만성B형간염으로 진단받은 환자 40명, 대조군은 헌혈자 조건에 합당한 40명을 대상군으로 선정하였다. 이들의 전혈을 NK Vue Gold kit의 전용용기에 1 mL 채혈하고, interferon (IFN)-γ 농도를 측정하여 NK세포 활성도로 간주하였다. 결과: IFN-γ의 중앙값(범위)은 환자군 2,000 (89-2,000) pg/mL으로 대조군 1,786 (333-2,000) pg/mL과 유의한 차이는 없었다. IFN-γ 농도와 백혈구 수는 환자군 r=-0.390 (P=0.022)과 대조군 r=-0.339 (P=0.032) 모두에서 상관관계를 보였다. 환자군에서 IFN-γ 수치는 alanine aminotransferase r=-0.363 (P=0.021), aspartate aminotransferase r=-0.336 (P=0.037), 빌리루빈 r=-0.376 (P=0.020)과 모두 유의한 음의 관계를 보였다. 결론: B형간염 환자의 NK세포 활성도는 대조군과 유의한 차이는 없었으며, NK세포 활성도의 결과 해석 시 백혈구 수가 IFN-γ 농도에 영향을 미칠 수 있음을 유념할 필요가 있겠다.