The CD8+ T cell exhaustion mechanisms in chronic hepatitis B infection and immunotherapeutic strategies: a systematic review

According to the numerous conducted studies, we conclude that CD8+ T cell exhaustion commonly occurs in the tumoral and chronic suppressive environment and CHB and HCC patients; furthermore, this phenomenon is less seen in AHB and ACLF patients. The emergence of surficial inhibitory receptors (IRs) on CD8+ T cells is the leading cause of exhaustion, and programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) has much importance among the others.