Correlation of soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels with severity of chronic hepatitis C virus liver injury and development of hepatocellular cancer.
BACKGROUND
Patients with acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infection have elevated serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor. This study examined patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection to determine whether serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels were elevated and whether the degree of these elevations in serum levels correlated with histologic severity of hepatitis-related liver injury.


METHODS
Percutaneous liver biopsies were performed on 123 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in these 123 patients were measured by means of specific enzyme-linked immunoassay and were compared with levels in 174 subjects in a hepatitis-free control group.


RESULTS
Soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels were significantly higher in the patients with hepatitis C than in subjects in a control group (p < 0.0001). A progressive and significant increase occurred in soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels with increasing severity of liver injury (p < 0.001). The highest levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor occurred in patients who had hepatocellular cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels correlate with the histologic severity of liver damage in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection and may be useful as a marker in patients at high risk of getting hepatocellular cancer.
Izzo
F
F
Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Curley
S
S
Maio
P
P
Leonardi
E
E
Imparato
L
L
Giglio
S
S
Cremona
F
F
Castello
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins