Tracking B cell immunity during perturbation of hepatitis B infection induced by treatment withdrawal - Takeaways - MDSpire
Coming Soon: Introducing MDSpire News. Learn more
Conexiant’s news site is now MDSpire News. Learn more

Monitoring B cell Immune Responses Following Discontinuation of Treatment in Hepatitis B Infection

  • By

  • Sabela Lens

  • Alice R Burton

  • Jessica Davies

  • Maelle Locatelli

  • Mireia García-López

  • Anna Pocurull

  • Anna Jeffery-Smith

  • Nikolai Novikov

  • Simon P Fletcher

  • Xavier Forns

  • Sofía Pérez-del-Pulgar

  • Mala K Maini

  • August 1, 2026

Share

  • 1

    Prolonged nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy equalizes frequencies of class-switched memory B cells specific for hepatitis B core and surface antigens.

  • 2

    PD-1 expression on hepatitis B surface-specific memory B cells decreases only after treatment withdrawal, with sustained reductions linked to HBsAg loss.

  • 3

    NA withdrawal leads to increased activated memory B cells, plasmablasts, and functional potential of HBs-specific memory B cells in patients achieving HBsAg loss.

  • 4

    Class-switched HBc-specific memory B cells show temporal increases associated with withdrawal flares following nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy.

  • 5

    The study emphasizes the need for larger investigations into B cell biomarkers to predict responses to nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy discontinuation.

Original Source(s)

Tracking B cell immunity during perturbation of hepatitis B infection induced by treatment withdrawal

  • by Sabela Lens, Alice R Burton, Jessica Davies, Maelle Locatelli, Mireia García-López, Anna Pocurull, Anna Jeffery-Smith, Nikolai Novikov, Simon P Fletcher, Xavier Forns, Sofía Pérez-del-Pulgar, Mala K Maini

  • August 1, 2026

Related Content

FDA Monthly Preview: Key August Decisions to Watch

Several FDA decisions across multiple specialties are expected this month.

Burden of infections and preventive strategies in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma treated with bispecific antibodies

MMRV Use May Reveal Vaccine Access Gaps

The study identified the populations most likely to be affected by reduced access to MMRV.