Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 productions in response to platelet-activating factor in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) release in response to platelet-activating factor (PAF) induction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers.


METHODS
Subjects were grouped into three subgroups. The mean age was 37 +/- 10 years. Group A (n = 15), group B (n = 10) and group C (n = 9) subjects were HBV serology-negative, had natural immunity after recovery from an acute HBV infection, and were chronic HBV carriers, respectively.


RESULTS
Compared with group A, PBMCs from naturally immune subjects and chronic HBV carriers produced significantly higher amounts of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in response to PAF. In chronic HBV carriers, TNF-alpha (1,633.3 +/- 793.7) and IL-6 (2,533.3 +/- 466.3) production was statistically lower than TNF-alpha (2,630.0 +/- 727.3) and IL-6 (3,870.0 +/- 728.4) obtained from naturally immune subjects to HBV.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences of TNF-alpha levels between chronic HBV carriers and naturally immune subjects suggest that TNF-alpha may be a critical mediator of HBV clearance.
Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Ege University Medical Faculty, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. cbuke@med.ege.edu.tr
A Cagri
AC
Buke
Munir
M
Buke
Imre Erdem
IE
Altuglu
Meltem
M
Ciceklioglu
Saniye
S
Kamcioglu
Guney
G
Karakartal
Afig
A
Huseyinov
D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D015850:Interleukin-6; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha