Cytokines in Chronic Hepatitis B and C Virus Infections / 대한임상병리학회지

ABSTRACT

The cytokine patterns secreted by T cells at the site of viral replication may influence the final outcome of HBV and HCV infection. The different cytokine profiles of T cells within the liver in chronic HBV (Th0/Th2 cytokine) and HCV (Th1 cytokine) infections illustrate a different behavior of the local immune response in these two infections. The predominance of Th1-type cytokine responses has been reported to play an important role in viral clearance of patients with both acute and chronic hepatitis B. In contrast, a combined Th1-and Th2-like responses were found in chronic hepatitis C, exhibiting a pattern like that of acute hepatitis C with chronic evolution. It suggests that different patterns of cytokine expressions between HBV and HCV infection involve the difference in chronicity in each infection.