Abstract:
One of the most important factors playing role in chronic hepatitis B
pathogenesis is cytokine release and one of the cytokines with antiinflammatory
characteristic is interleukin-10 (IL-10). The aim of the present
study was to estimate IL-10 levels and to evaluate the utility of using it as
biomarker for monitoring the progression and treatment of chronic hepatitis
B infection.
Sixty patients with chronic hepatitis B disease confirmed by
persistence expression of HBsAg for more than 6 months and 30
healthy controls were included in the study during the period from
January to May 2017. Serum IL-10 level was investigated by
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique and HBV
viral load was investigated by Real Time PCR. In the control group,
thirty healthy individuals with age group (23-58 years) similar to the
patient population were included. Controls and patients groups were
compared and data were statistically analyzed.
Interleukin-10 levels of the patients was as the following from total of 60
patients 37 who represents (61.6%) of the total patients were in the levels of
1-10 ng/ml, 7 (11.7%) were in the levels of 11-20 ng/ml, 6 (10%) were in the
levels of 21-40 ng/ml and 10 (16.7 %) were in the levels of more than 40
ng/ml.
Interleukin-10 levels of the controls was as the following from total of 30
controls 26 who represents (86.6%) of the total controls were in the levels of
1-10 ng/ml, 3 (10%) were in the levels of 11-20 ng/ml, 1 (3.4%) were in the
levels of 21-40 ng/ml and zero of the controls were in the levels of more than
40 ng/ml.
According to HBV viral load the 60 patients had been divided into two
groups, the first consists of 41 (68%) patients with HBV DNA level of
6‒2000 IU/mL, the second consists of 19 (32%) patients with HBV DNA
level of > 2000 IU/mL.
Interleukin-10 levels of the first group was compared with the control group
and the levels in chronic hepatitis B group were statistically significantly
higher (P=0.01). Interleukin-10 levels of the second group were compared
with the control group and the levels in chronic hepatitis B group were
statistically significantly higher (P= 0.01).
When chronic hepatitis B patients were compared, IL-10 levels increased as
HBV DNA levels increased and the result was statistically significant
(P=0.02). IL-10 and HBV viral load were compared and positive correlation
was detected (P= 0.01).
The present study suggests that decreasing IL-10 levels by using various
techniques may have important contributions on chronic hepatitis B
infection, disease progression and treatment of the disease. Moreover, IL-10
levels may be an important biomarker for hepatitis B infection monitoring
and evaluation of the treatment response.
