SERUM LEVEL OF IL-6, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-10 IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS DUE TO CHRONIC HEPATITIS B

Hai Nguyen Thi Thanh1,2,, Ha Nguyen Thi Thu2, Khanh Pham Minh3, Nhan Phan Thi Thanh2, Thuy Nguyen Thu4, Ngoc Thach Pham2
1 Biochemistry Department, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam
2 Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Vietnam
3 Haiphong University Medicine and Pharmacy
4 Center for Gene and Protein Research, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

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Abstract

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the serum level of interleukin - 6 (IL - 6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF - α), interleukin - 4 (IL - 4) and interleukin - 10 (IL - 10) in a sample of patients affected by chronic HBV infection in various stage of liver cirrhosis to evaluate differences of the aforementioned cytokines between Child - Pugh classes, as well as between chronic hepatitis B (CHB)
patients and healthy controls.
Patients and methods: 78 chronic hepatitis B patients who were divided into three groups according to the Child - Pugh scoring system: group A comprised 24 patients with Child Pugh class A; group B comprised 39 patients with Child Pugh class B; and group C comprised 15 patients with Child Pugh class C. The study also included 10 healthy controls for comparing. Biochemical markers of liver disease were measured by clinical routine methods approved by IFCC. Serum concentrations of IL - 6, TNF - α, IL - 4, and IL - 10 were measured with the Human Cytokine/Chemokine ELISA Kit, Arigo Biolaboratories Corporation, Taiwan.
Results: CHB patients showed statistically significant difference in TNF - α (p < 0.001), IL - 4 (p <0.01) and IL - 10 (p < 0.01) levels versus healthy controls. Non-cirrhosis patients (Group A) showed statistically significant difference in TNF - α (p < 0.001), IL - 10 (p < 0.05) levels versus cirrhosis patients (Group B and C). Serum IL - 4 levels were significantly different between group B and group C patients (p < 0.05). There was not any correlation between cytokines and biochemical markers of liver
cirrhosis.
Conclusions: This study evaluated the serum cytokine levels (IL - 6, TNF - α, IL - 10, and IL - 4) of chronic hepatitis B patients, as well as the differences in such levels between patients and healthy controls. Although no correlations of cytokine levels with biochemical markers of liver disease were observed, serum levels of TNF - α, IL - 4, IL - 10 increase significantly in chronic hepatitis B patient, especially elevating in cirrhosis group (TNF - α, IL - 10); IL - 4 only increased in severe cirrhosis group (group C). TNF - α, IL - 4, IL - 10 but not IL - 6 may be a possible mediator in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis.

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