DNT cells and T lymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry in 136 patients with HBV infection, including 33 cases of asymptomatic carrier(ASC), 28 cases of acute hepatitis B(AHB), 28 cases of mild chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 25 cases of moderate CHB, 22 cases of severe CHB, and 39 healthy controls (HC).

DNT cell percentages in ASC, AHB and HC groups were 5.43%±3.31%, 4.75%±2.71% and 4.82%±3.43%, and there was no statistical significance among the 3 groups (P<0.05). DNT cell percentages in HC and AHB group were lower than that in CHB group (from mild group to severe group, DNT cell percentages were 7.97%±4.12%, 8.41%±4.93% and 11.36%±5.01%, P<0.05). The DNT percentage in ASC group was only lower than that in severe CHB group (P<0.05). The DNT percentage had no statistical significance in severe CHB group with those in mild CHB and moderate CHB groups (P>0.05). There was no statistical significance for DNT cell percentages between mild and moderate CHB groups (P>0.05), and they were significantly lower than that in severe group (P<0.05). There was no statistical significance for T lymphocyte subsets in HC group, AHB group and ASC group (P>0.05). With the development of CHB, the percentages of CD3⁺ and CD3⁺CD4⁺CD8^-(CD4⁺) cells decreased, and the percentages of CD3⁺CD4^-CD8⁺ (CD8⁺) cells increased.

The increasing of peripheral blood DNT cell percentage is associated with the progress of CHB.