title: Elevated TGF-β1/IL-31 Pathway Is Associated with the Disease Severity of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Liver Cirrhosis.
abstract: The proinflammatory cytokines transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and interleukin (IL)-31 have been implicated in tissue injury. However, whether TGF-β1/IL-31 are stimulated and elevated in response to liver injury that leads to fibrogenesis in hepatitis B virus-related liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) remains unclear. To investigate the association between TGF-β1/IL-31 and stages of chronic HBV infection, serum TGF-β1, IL-9, IL-10,IL-17, IL-22, IL-23, IL-31, IL-33, and IL-35 were determined among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB; n=19), HBV-LC (n=20), and a normal control population (NC; n=18). Disease severity in patients with HBV-LC was assessed using model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores. Serum TGF-β1 and IL-31 levels were strongly positively linked in all subjects, and both correlated positively with IL-22, IL-33, and IL-17. TGF-β1 and IL-31 levels in the blood were both significantly higher in CHB and HBV-LC patients than in NC subjects. Elevated serum TGF-β1 and IL-31 levels were positively associated with albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, creatinine, white blood cell count, and platelet levels. Serum TGF-β1 and IL-31 were markedly higher in HBV-LC patients who did not have esophageal varices, and IL-31 had the highest sensitivity and specificity (90.9% and 66.7%, respectively) for indicating the absence of this complication. In summary, TGF-β1 and IL-31 were linked to progression from CHB to LC, and correlated well with the severity of HBV-LC. These findings suggest possible roles of the TGF-β1/IL-31 pathway in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis during chronic HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University , Quanzhou, China .
authors.forename: Desong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ming
authors.forename: Xueping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ruyi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Julan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chengzu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Milong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Zhenzhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C502187:IL31 protein, human; D007378:Interleukins; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1