title: Serum interleukin 6 levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
abstract: Studies were undertaken to evaluate the role of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B. Using recently developed sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we determined serum levels of IL-6 in patients with chronic active hepatitis B (B-CAH), chronic persistent hepatitis B (B-CPH), and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Serum IL-6 activity tended to increase in patients with B-CAH (38.4 +/- 68.0 pg/ml) (+/- SD), compared with controls (9.7 +/- 6.8 pg/ml), although the difference was not significant because of the wide scatter in values. IL-6 levels in B-CPH and PBC were similar to those of controls. There was a significant correlation between the levels of IL-6 and aminotransferase in B-CAH. In addition, IL-6 activity was significantly enhanced during acute exacerbation of the illness, accompanied by clearance of HBeAg. Patients who received IFN-alpha and IL-2 therapy showed depressed IL-6 activity during treatment, and a rebound beyond pretreatment values after cessation of therapy. These findings suggest that IL-6 plays a role in the development of chronic hepatitis B, and it may contribute, at least in part, to the elimination of HB virus.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kakumu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinagawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakita
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takayanagi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ida
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000637:Transaminases / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D000637:Transaminases