Intrahepatic CD8+ T-lymphocyte response is important for therapy-induced viral clearance in chronic hepatitis B infection

The intrahepatic CD8+ T-lymphocyte, but not the CD4+ T-lymphocyte or NK/NKT-cell response, is important for HBV clearance during interferon-α therapy, and the antiviral effect may be mediated by both cytolytic and non-cytolytic mechanisms.