title: T helper type 1/T helper type 17-related cytokines in chronic hepatitis C patients before and after interferon and ribavirin therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the T helper (Th) 1/Th17-related cytokines, interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17 in the serum of biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C patients before and after IFN and ribavirin therapy to address whether or not viral clearance is related to Th1/Th17 cytokines.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-17 were assayed by ELISA on 26 patients with chronic hepatitic C virus (HCV) infection before the start and 3 months after treatment with pegylated IFN-α plus ribavirin and compared with sera from 15 normal control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IFN-γ and IL-17 levels are higher in the serum of patients with chronic hepatitis than in normal controls and these elevated levels were not directly correlated (r = -0.01, p = 0.96 for IFN-γ and r = -0.08, p = 0.66 for IL-17) to the viremic state of the HCV infection. In contrast to IL-17, IFN-γ showed significant reduction after 12 weeks of treatment with pegylated IFN plus ribavirin. However, IFN-γ and IL-17 serum levels were not significantly (p = 0.19 and = 0.70, respectively) different among responders and nonresponders for pegylated IFN plus ribavirin therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the combined treatment with pegylated IFN-α and ribavirin downmodulates the secretion of key cytokine IFN-γ as early as 12 weeks after treatment in infected patients. These findings could encourage new exciting possibilities for immune-based interventions with the aim of restoring functional antiviral T cell responses combined with improved viral clearance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fathy
authors.forename: Amal S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Lobna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Metwally
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a