The effects of prednisolone and interferons on serum macrophage colony stimulating factor concentrations in chronic hepatitis B.
OBJECTIVE
Serum concentrations of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) are increased in parallel with hepatic inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess the immunologic significance of elevated M-CSF in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.


METHODS
The subjects included 20 asymptomatic HBV carriers and 45 patients with chronic hepatitis B, including 8 undergoing prednisolone treatment, 10 experiencing an acute exacerbation, and 12 undergoing daily administration of interferons.


RESULTS
Serum concentrations of M-CSF significantly decreased during prednisolone administration, but significantly increased following prednisolone withdrawal, similar to the increase during acute exacerbation. Changes in the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated production of interleukin-1-beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha by peripheral whole blood, or of interferon-gamma by peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed a similar pattern. Serum concentrations of M-CSF did not correlate with the titers of HBV-DNA or HBV-DNA polymerase activity. However, serum M-CSF peaked preceding seroconversion to HBe antibody in three HBe antigen positive patients. Exogenous interferon-alpha, -beta, or -gamma induced significant elevation in serum M-CSF concentrations, irrespective of changes in the serum alanine aminotransferase levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased serum M-CSF is closely associated with increased serum interferons and/ or proinflammatory cytokines produced by peripheral blood cells during hepatic inflammation in chronic hepatitis B. This may be a consequence of the altered cytokine cascade resulting from the host immune response against hepatitis B virus.
Itoh
Y
Y
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Japan.
Okanoue
T
T
Sakamoto
S
S
Nishioji
K
K
Kashima
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007372:Interferons / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology*
D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D007372:Interferons; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D011241:Prednisone