. 2017 May 12;11(5):590–603. doi: 10.5009/gnl16215

Table 1.

The Effects of Pegylated Interferon and Nucleos(t)ide Analogues on Innate and Adaptive Immunity and Virological Control

Clinical effect	PegIFN	NUC
Innate immunity	Increase the production of IL-15 and expands NK cells (CD56^bright NK), with upregulation of TRAIL and IFN-γ production	Reduce TRAIL-expressing CD56^bright NK cells, with defective capacity to produce IFN-γ
Adaptive immunity	Deplete CD8⁺ T cells amount and function	Restore HBV-specific CD8⁺ T-cell function after long-term treatment
Overall effect	Suppress HBV replication and cccDNA transcription	Suppress HBV replication
HBV DNA reduction	++	+++
HBeAg/HBsAg seroconversion	++	+

PegIFN, pegylated interferon; NUC, nucleos(t)ide analogue; NK, natural killer; TRAIL, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand; HBV, hepatitis B virus; cccDNA, covalently closed circular DNA; HBeAg, hepatitis B e antigen; HBsAg, hepatitis B surface antigen.