Distribution of IL-6 in human liver cirrhosis

ABSTRACT

In this study, sera and liver biopsies from 15 patients with clinically and pathologically diagnosed liver cirrhosis were taken. In addition, sera from seven liver biopsies from three healthy controls were used. The serum levels of interleukin-6 [IL-6] were measured using ELISA kits and the cellular distribution was investigated using immunohistochemistry. The results showed that serum IL-6 levels in cirrhotic patients [25.46 +/- 11.6 pg/ml] were significantly increased compared with the control group [12.14 +/- 6.6 pg/ml]. Immunohistochemically, in the control group, IL-6 was seen only in occasional sinusoidal cells. However, it was widely distributed in the cirrhotic liver. In the latter, it was mostly seen in the inflammatory cells infiltrating the liver but also expressed in the sinusoidal cells, Kupffer cells, vascular endothelial lining cells and hepatocytes. Upregulation of IL-6 in cirrhotic patients could be due to active synthesis or defective clearance by non- functioning hepatocytes