Study of relationship between IL-18 and IFN therapy of chronic hepatitis B / 中国免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate the possible roles of IL-18 in HBV infection, and to clarify the immune state during IFN? therapy. Methods:Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 2 groups of HBV infectors(including 15 asymptomatic carriers,26 patients with chronic hepatitis B) and 10 healthy individuals (as normal controls) were analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of IL-18 were also detected before, during, and at the end of IFNa therapy,Results: (1)The level of IL-18 was the lowest in asymptomatic carrier group. However there was no significant difference between chronic hepatitis and normal control. (2)The patients with chronic hepatitis were further divided into 4 subgroups according to the inflammation degree of liver. Results showed that the severity degree of liver inflammation was accompanied with the elevation of IL-18 production. (3)IL-18 in chronic hepatitis B correlated with serum ALT positively ( r = 0.61,P