Increased interleukin-32 expression in chronic hepatitis B virus-infected liver.
OBJECTIVE
The role of interleukin-32 (IL-32) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains unclear. In order to identify the role of IL-32 in CHB, we detected the expression levels of IL-32 in liver samples of CHB patients and analyzed the correlation between IL-32 and liver inflammation/fibrosis.


METHODS
Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression levels of IL-32 in liver tissues of patients with CHB. The correlation between hepatic IL-32 expression and the severity of liver inflammation/fibrosis was assessed using Spearman's correlation.


RESULTS
Hepatic IL-32 expression was increased in CHB patients and increased with the severity of liver inflammation/fibrosis. Moreover, hepatic IL-32 expression was significantly positively correlated with serum ALT level and negatively related with serum ALB level.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that IL-32 could be implicated in HBV-related liver inflammation/fibrosis. We believe that IL-32 might play important roles in the pathogenesis of CHB.
Department of Infectious Diseases, The 3rd Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No.600, Tianhe Road, Guangzhou 510630, China.
Qihuan
Q
Xu
Xingfei
X
Pan
Xin
X
Shu
Hong
H
Cao
Xuejun
X
Li
Ka
K
Zhang
Jianxi
J
Lu
Yong
Y
Zou
Xueling
X
Li
Hongcan
H
Liu
Yeqiong
Y
Zhang
Daofeng
D
Yang
Qin
Q
Ning
Guanxin
G
Shen
Gang
G
Li
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007378:Interleukins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
C496971:IL32 protein, human; D007378:Interleukins