Interferon-γ and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Produced by T Cells Reduce the HBV Persistence Form, cccDNA, Without Cytolysis

Viral clearance involves immune cell cytolysis of infected cells. However, studies of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in chimpanzees have indicated that cytokines released by T cells also can promote viral clearance via noncytolytic processes. We investigated the noncytolytic mechanisms by which T cells eliminate HBV from infected hepatocytes.We performed a cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of serum samples from patients with acute...