Predictive value of interferon-gamma inducible protein 10 kD for hepatitis B e antigen clearance and hepatitis B surface antigen decline during pegylated interferon alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is an immune-mediated infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). No ideal immunological markers are available at present. In this study, the expression level of interferon-gamma inducible protein 10 kD (IP-10) in chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers (AsC), patients with CHB, and patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) was detected. Serum IP-10 level changes were evaluated during the pre-, on- and post-treatment periods for CHB patients receiving Peg IFN-α therapy. The correlation between the IP-10 level and the inflammation activity (IA) score, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, HBV DNA load, and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) quantification were also evaluated. The IP-10 expression gradually increased from AsC to patients with CHB and was highest in patients with ACLF. Serum IP-10 levels were positively correlated with the hepatic IA score and ALT level, but negatively with the HBV DNA load and HBsAg quantification. The CHB patients achieved hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) clearance or HBsAg decline >1 log10 IU/ml had higher pre-treatment IP-10 levels and more obvious on-treatment reduction of the IP-10 level than did patients with HBeAg persistent-positive or HBsAg decline <1 log10 IU/ml. Multivariate logistic-regression analysis revealed that the serum IP-10 level was an independent predictor of HBeAg clearance and HBsAg decline. In conclusion, IP-10 expression distinctly varies at different clinical stages of HBV infection. Higher pre-treatment serum IP-10 expression and dynamic down-regulation might be associated with an increased probability of HBeAg clearance and HBsAg decline in CHB patients during Peg IFN-α therapy.