Effects of SSM (specific substance maruyama) on HBe antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B -clinical efficacy and modulation of cytokines.
Twenty-three patients with HBe antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B were treated with capitalite first letters Maruyama (SSM). HBe antigen turned negative in 15 patients. The levels of various cytokines in pre- and post-treatment frozen serum samples from six patients whose HBe antigen turned negative and from five whose HBe antigen did not were examined. Reduction of serum interleukin (IL) -10 level to below 20 pg/ml was observed after SSM treatment in four of the six patients whose HBe antigen turned negative. SSM was found to stimulate the production of interferon (IFN) -gamma in peripheral blood cells from two healthy volunteers. This stimulatory effect was confirmed in 12 out of 24 healthy volunteers. SSM augmented the production of IFN-gamma in eight out of 10 patients with chronic hepatitis B and nine of 10 with hepatitis C. These results demonstrate for the first time that SSM stimulates the production of IFN-gamma in human peripheral blood cells and also suggest that treatment of HBe antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B patients with SSM leads to the clearance of HBe antigen and normalization of serum aspartate aminotransferase levels through inhibition of IL-10 and stimulation of IFN-gamma.
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School.
K
K
Satomura
M
M
Yin
T
T
Sekiyama
S
S
Fujisaki
T
T
Aramaki
H
H
Okumura
Y
Y
Ohmoto
D000328:Adult; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D008055:Lipids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D008055:Lipids; D008351:Mannans; C031208:specific substance maruyama; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases