ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of IL-10 and the methylation of its promoter in acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients were divided into three groups: 25 with ACLF, 25 with CHB, 10 healthy controls. Respectively detect the serum level of IL-10 via ELISA, and the methylation of IL-10 promoter via MSP, to analyze the difference among the three groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both the ACLF group and the CHB group have significant increase in serum level of IL-10 compared with the control group (P < 0.05); the ACLF group's level is higher than the CHB group, however without statistical significance (P > 0.05). The serum level of IL-10 in ACLF group has no significant relativity with ALT and HBV-DNA( r = -0.022, r = 0.033, respectively; P > 0.05); has positive relativity with TBIL and MELD ( r = 0.566, r = 0.443, respectively; P < 0.05); and negative relativity with PTA (r = -0.581, P < 0.05). The distribution of the methylation of IL-10 promoter in ACLF group is significantly different from the other two.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The serum level of IL-10 in hepatitis patients is significantly higher and increases with the degree of liver failure. The promoter methylation may be important in the gene inactivation.</p>