%0 Journal Article
%T Serum cytokine profile in patients with hepatitis B e antigen-negative chronic active hepatitis B and inactive hepatitis B virus carriers
%A Dimitra Dimitropoulou
%A Marina Karakantza
%A Georgios L Theodorou
%A Lydia Leonidou
%J World Journal of Gastrointestinal Pathophysiology
%D 2013
%I Baishideng Publishing Group Co. Limited
%R 10.4291/wjgp.v4.i1.24
%X An insufficient cellular immune response seems to be critical for the immunopathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B virus infection. We have previously demonstrated no differences of T-lymphocyte subsets in blood between inactive hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg) carriers and patients with HBeAg-negative chronic active hepatitis B. This study investigated the peripheral blood cytokine profile in patients with HBeAg-negative chronic active hepatitis B infection (Group A, n = 21) and inactive HBsAg carriers (Group B, n = 13). Serum cytokines [interferon (IFN)-¦Ã, tumor necrosis factor-¦Á, interleukin (IL)-1b, IL-4, IL-12, IL-10, IL-2, IL-5, IL-8] were analyzed by using flow cytometry. Patients with chronic active disease presented with significantly decreased levels of IFN-¦Ã and IL-10 compared to inactive carriers (P = 0.048 and P = 0.008, respectively). In HBeAg-negative chronic active hepatitis B patients, a significant negative correlation of IFN-¦Ã levels with serum hepatitis B viral load was noted (P = 0.021). In conclusion, patients with HBeAg-negative chronic active hepatitis B and HBsAg inactive carriers display a different cytokine profile. Decreased Th1 response observed in patients with chronic active hepatitis B could be implicated in the persistence of virus replication and ongoing progression of liver disease.
%K Cytokines
%K Hepatitis B
%K Flow cytometry
%K Immunoreactive fibronectin-¦Ã
%U http://www.wjgnet.com/2150-5330/full/v4/i1/24.htm