title: Studies of interleukin-12 in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: Interleukin-12 is produced by antigen-presenting cells and regulates the balance between TH1/TH2 lymphocyte subsets, promoting cell-mediated immune reactions. Amongst patients with chronic hepatitis B undergoing interferon-alpha treatment, only those who clear hepatitis B virus show a substantial increase in the production of biologically active IL-12 and an inverse ratio between serum levels of IL-12p40 subunit and IL-12. The peak of serum IL-12 occurs after the hepatitis flare and precedes or coincides with the time of HBe seroconversion. These data indicate that IL-12 is an important element for establishing the host immune control on hepatitis B virus replication in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hepatology, University College London Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Naoumov
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossol
mesh_terms: D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018664:Interleukin-12