title: [The role of cytokines and interferon-alpha in the pathogenesis of chronic diffuse diseases of the liver].
abstract: The cytokine profiles were investigated in 171 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH) and in 173 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). Increasing mean concentrations of IFN-alpha, TNF-alpha, IL-4 and IL-6 in blood serum as well as of the functional (antiviral and cytolytic) activity of IFN-alpha and TNF-alpha were found to be typical of a majority of CH and LC patients. Higher concentrations of IFN-alpha, IL-1, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in blood serum of CH patients are more typical of viral hepatitis versus alcoholic one. The replicative activity of hepatotropic viruses induces a powerful cytokine response. The LC etiology did not have any essential impact, in a majority of cases, on the blood-serum cytokine profile. A low function activity of TNF-alpha in blood serum signifies that the biological effects of the above cytokine are blocked. Finally, such analysis of the parameters of concentrations and functional activity of serum cytokines ensures a more objective evaluation of the pathogenetic disease mechanism and provides for prognosticating its outcome.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Astakhin
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Afanas'ev
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vorob'ev
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Levitan
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Aleshkin
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D015847:Interleukin-4