IL-12–Based Vaccination Therapy Reverses Liver-Induced Systemic Tolerance in a Mouse Model of Hepatitis B Virus Carrier

Abstract Liver-induced systemic immune tolerance that occurs during chronic hepadnavirus infection is the biggest obstacle for effective viral clearance. Immunotherapeutic reversal of this tolerance is a promising strategy in the clinic but remains to be explored. In this study, using a hepatitis B virus (HBV)-carrier mouse model, we report that IL-12–based vaccination therapy can efficiently reverse systemic tolerance toward HBV. HBV-carrier mice lost responsiveness to hepatitis B surface Ag (HBsAg) vaccination, and IL-12 alone could not reverse this liver-induced immune tolerance. However, after IL-12–based vaccination therapy, the majority of treated mice became HBsAg− in serum; hepatitis B core Ag was also undetectable in hepatocytes. HBV clearance was dependent on HBsAg vaccine-induced anti-HBV immunity. Further results showed that IL-12–based vaccination therapy strongly enhanced hepatic HBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses, including proliferation and IFN-γ secretion. Systemic HBV-specific CD4+ T cell responses were also restored in HBV-carrier mice, leading to the arousal of HBsAg-specific follicular Th–germinal center B cell responses and anti–hepatitis B surface Ag Ab production. Recovery of HBsAg-specific responses also correlated with both reduced CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cell frequency and an enhanced capacity of effector T cells to overcome inhibition by regulatory T cells. In conclusion, IL-12–based vaccination therapy may reverse liver-induced immune tolerance toward HBV by restoring systemic HBV-specific CD4+ T cell responses, eliciting robust hepatic HBV-specific CD8+ T cell responses, and facilitating the generation of HBsAg-specific humoral immunity; thus, this therapy may become a viable approach to treating patients with chronic hepatitis B.