Expression And Clinical Significance Of IL-18 In Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B

To exp1ore the transcription and expression of IL--l8(inter1eukin l8) gene in the peri pheral blood mononuclear cel ls(PBMC) of HBV infectors and c lari fy the re1at ionship betweenbetween IL--18 and l iver inflammat ion, to exp1ore the relat ionbetween IL--l8 and HBV infection, and to c larify the immune stateduri ng interferon therapy, the transcr ipt ion and express ion of IL-18 in PBMC were assessed by serui-quantitive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry .HBV DNA in the PBMC and serum of patients were detected by PCR and dot hybridization respectively. Flow cytometry was applied to detect the expression of IL-18 in the PBMC of chronic hepatitis B patients before, during, and at the end of interferon therapy. Results showed: (l)There were significant differences in the transcription and expression levels of IL-18 between each group of HBV infectors. Interestingly, it was highest in fulminant hepatitis group, and lowest in asymptomatic carrier group. However there was no significant difference between chronic hepatitis and normal controls. The severity degree of liver inflammation was accompanied with the elevation of IL-18 production in chronic hepatitis. The transcription and expression of IL-18 in chronic hepatitis B correlated with serum ALT positively(r=O.54, P