When determining the expression of IL-23R in PBMCs of patients with CHB by flow cytometry (FCM) analysis, we also found that most IL-23R+ cells were IL-17+CD4+ T cells (Figure 4D, left panel), which indicated that the circulating Th17 cells expressed a high level of IL-23R under the hepatitis B condition. This evidence concerns the gene IL23R and hepatitis B virus infection.