Serum analyses
HBsAg, HBsAb and HBeAg were analyzed with ELISA kits (Kehua, China). HBV
DNA, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total bilirubin and creatine kinase
were analyzed using commercial quantitative assays (Adicon, China). Both
serum and intracellular IL-21 levels were measured using ELISA (Boster,
China).