C57Bl/6 mice were purchased from Charles River (Sulzfeld, Germany). H‐2Kb‐restricted T‐cell receptor (TCR) transgenic CD45.1+ OT‐1 mice were bred and maintained under specific pathogen‐free conditions in the central animal facility of the Klinikum Rechts der Isar according to the guidelines of the Federation of Laboratory Animal Science Association. Male mice between the ages of 6 and 10 weeks were used. Cell depletion was injected intravenously with 30 µg antimouse CD8α (clone 2.43, BioXCell), 300 µg antimouse CD4 (GK1.5, BioXCell), or 300 µg antimouse NK1.1 (PK136, BioXCell).
Patients with the diagnosis of chronic HBV infection who presented at the University Medical Center Freiburg outpatient liver center were recruited in the study after obtaining written informed consent from each patient and approval by the Ethics Committee of the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg (Germany). Intrahepatic lymphocytes, obtained during diagnostic liver biopsy, were compared with peripheral immune responses and analyzed for HBV‐specific immune responses and expression of inhibitory receptors. All investigations were conducted according to the principles expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki.
Patients with the diagnosis of chronic HBV infection who presented at the University Medical Center Freiburg outpatient liver center were recruited in the study after obtaining written informed consent from each patient and approval by the Ethics Committee of the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg (Germany). Intrahepatic lymphocytes, obtained during diagnostic liver biopsy, were compared with peripheral immune responses and analyzed for HBV‐specific immune responses and expression of inhibitory receptors. All investigations were conducted according to the principles expressed in the Declaration of Helsinki.