Increased serum and hepatic tissue levels of interleukin-18 in patients with fulminant hepatic failure.
BACKGROUND
Fulminant hepatic failure is a serious clinical condition associated with a high mortality rate. Interleukin (IL)-18 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is associated with several inflammatory diseases. The purpose of the present paper was therefore to investigate whether IL-18 is elevated in patients with fulminant hepatic failure.


METHODS
Serum levels of IL-18 were measured in patients with fulminant hepatic failure before and after liver transplantation. Native liver tissue samples were collected and the tissue levels of IL-18 were determined. Liver tissues were stained immunohistochemically with antihuman IL-18 antibody. The serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were also determined in patients with fulminant hepatic failure before and after liver transplantation.


RESULTS
Elevated levels of IL-18 in serum and hepatic tissue were observed in patients with fulminant hepatic failure. Native liver tissue samples were immunohistochemically positive for IL-18. Interleukin-18 levels were markedly reduced after liver replacement. No other inflammatory cytokines were substantially elevated in patients with fulminant hepatic failure.


CONCLUSIONS
The serum levels of IL-18 levels are elevated much more than those of other cytokines in patients with fulminant hepatic failure.
Shinoda
Masahiro
M
Department of Surgery, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
Wakabayashi
Go
G
Shimazu
Motohide
M
Saito
Hidetsugu
H
Hoshino
Ken
K
Tanabe
Minoru
M
Morikawa
Yasuhide
Y
Endo
Shigeatsu
S
Ishii
Hiromasa
H
Kitajima
Masaki
M
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000378:metabolism*; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male
D016207:Cytokines; D020382:Interleukin-18