Role of cytokines as markers for immunomodulation in patients with hepatitis C

ABSTRACT

In the present study, soluble interleukin-2 receptor [sIL-2R] and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-a] were measured in serum by ELISA and alpha fetoprotein was assessed by RIA in 20 patients with hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection, in addition to 10 apparently healthy subjects served as controls. The results showed an increased serum level of sIL-2R in the patients group [783.65 U/ml] than in the control subjects [774.19 U/ml]. In the same time, the mean level of TNF-alpha was also significantly elevated in patients [1.51 +/- 1.01] than in the controls [0.39 +/- 0.07 ng/ml]. Furthermore, 3 out of 20 HCV +ve patients had an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein [AFP]