title: Correlations among the serum levels of some interleukins and the histopathological aspects in chronic viral hepatitis C.
abstract: PREMISES AND OBJECTIVES: The evolution of the infection with the hepatic virus C depends on the defense of the organism, found under the control of a network of cytokines and chemokines. The mechanisms that are causing both viral persistence as well as hepatic pathology are not entirely elucidated. We have proposed to study the amount in which different categories of cytokines are incriminated in the pathogenesis of the chronic liver disease, as well as the eventual correlations between the serum levels of these cytokines and certain histopathological aspects in the chronic viral hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five patients with chronic viral hepatitis C (persistent - nine, active - 15, cirrhosis - 11) have been studied, constituting group P, and 20 healthy subjects constituting the reference group (R). In both groups have been determined the serum concentrations of some proinflammatory interleukins (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8), and antiinflammatory (IL-10) cytokines, through the immunoenzymatic technique ELISA. Results. For the proinflammatory cytokines taken into consideration (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8) increased serum values have been determined to the patients with chronic hepatitis C, the maximal level being observed to the patients active chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis (24/35 patients - 68.57%, 19/35 patients - 54.28% and, namely, 18/35 patients - 51.42%). The serum values of IL-10 are increased in 19/35 patients - 54.28%. The direct relationship among the increased levels of IL-10, the astringency of the inflammation and the hepatic functional insufficiency has been taken into consideration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immune cellular answer has a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of the liver disease in the patients with chronic viral hepatitis C. The disequilibrium between the pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines participates to the installation of hepatic lesions of cytolysis and/or to the progression of fibrosis. The serum concentrations of the studied cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10) are correlated to the histopathological spoilages of the liver.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology-Virology-Parasitology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Craiova, Romania. c.avramescu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Carmen Silvia
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Avrămescu
authors.forename: Violeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Comănescu
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turculeanu
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bălăşoiu
authors.forename: Carmen Florina
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lungulescu
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha