Expression levels of interferon-α receptor, interferon-stimulated gene factor 3, double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase and ribonuclease L in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with interferon / 中华传染病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the expression levels of interferon-α receptor (IFNAR), interferon-stimulated gene factor 3(ISGF3), double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase(PKR) and ribonuclease L (RNase L) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) treated with interferon.Methods:From July 2014 to June 2017, 41 treatment naive CHB patients were enrolled in the Department of Infectious Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. Eighteen patients were treated with polyethylene glycol interferon α-2b, and 23 patients were treated with conventional interferon. The mRNA and protein expression levels of IFNAR1, IFNAR2, ISGF3, PKR and RNase L in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. The differences of these molecular expression levels in PBMC between the effective and ineffective groups were compared. The data were analyzed by t test. Results:After 24 weeks of treatment, 25 cases were effective, while 16 cases were ineffective. At four weeks of treatment, the mRNA expression levels of IFNAR1, IFNAR2 and PKR in PBMC of the effective group were 0.748±0.129, 1.169±0.125 and 1.047±0.091, respectively, which were all higher than those in the ineffective group (0.591±0.021, 0.689±0.059 and 0.791±0.033, respectively). The differences were statistically significant ( t=-4.304, 16.482 and -5.346, respectively, all P<0.01). The mRNA expressions of ISGF3 and RNase L in PBMC of the effective group were 0.739±0.159 and 0.780±0.140, respectively, while those in the ineffective group were 0.690±0.035 and 0.733±0.122, respectively, which were not significantly different ( t=-0.160 and -1.443, respectively, both P>0.05). The mRNA expression levels of IFNAR1, IFNAR2, ISGF3, PKR and RNase L at baseline, week eight, 12 and 24 of treatment in the effective group were all higher than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.01). The protein expression levels of IFNAR1, IFNAR2, ISGF3, PKR and RNase L in the effective group were all higher than those in the ineffective group (all P<0.01). Conclusion:After interferon treatment, the mRNA and protein expression levels of IFNAR1, IFNAR2, ISGF3, PKR and RNase L in PBMC of CHB patients are all increased, especially IFNAR2 and PKR levels increase in the early stage of treatment (four weeks).