Detection of serum TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-8 in patients with hepatitis B

Abstract

AIM: To assess the possible roles of cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-8) in liver damage of hepatitis B. METHODS: The serum TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-8 were detected by ELISA in 66 patients with hepatitis B and 20 healthy blood donors. RESULTS: TNF-α and IL-6 in all types of clinical hepatitis B were significantly higher than those in healthy blood donors (P<0.05); meanwhile the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-8 in the patients with fulminant hepatitis B were much higher than those in the patients with acute hepatitis B (P<0.05); the level of TNF-α was positively correlated with the levels of IFN-γ, II-6 and IL-8 in all types of hepatitis B (rIFN = 0.24, rIL-6 = 0.35, rIL-8 = 0.44) and the TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-8 were positively correlated with serum bilirubin (P<0.05). Dynamic changes of these cytokines were observed in the course of acute and fulminant hepatitis. The level of IFN-γ peaked in the initial period of acute hepatitis and early stage of hepatic coma in fulminant hepatitis; TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 increased with exacerbation, and reached a peak when the liver damage was most serious, then decreased when patient conditions were improved. CONCLUSION: The increased cytokines were related to the inflammation of liver cells and multiple factors may play certain roles in liver damage.