title: Association of the Interleukin-27 Gene Expression and Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Liver Transplanted Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hepatitis B viral infection is among the most common causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and a frequent viral indication for liver transplant. Cytokine-mediated immunity plays a critical role in introducing and promoting hepatitis B virus outcomes and in graft microenvironment. Interleukin 27 is a heterodimeric cytokine and a member of interleukin-6/interleukin-12 family. Interleukin-27 shows a broad range of pro- and antiinflammatory properties and plays a determining role during immune responses in combating hepatitis B virus. Therefore, in this study, the possible association between expressions of interleukin-27 gene with hepatitis B virus infection was evaluated in liver transplant patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study from liver transplant patients with the risk of hepatitis B virus infection who admitted to Namazi Hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, 50 patients were selected and subgrouped to 25 hepatitis B virus-infected and 25 noninfected ones between years 2011 and 2013. The 25 healthy controls also were enrolled in this study. The presence of hepatitis B virus infection was assessed using polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay protocols in liver transplant patients. In addition, the interleukin-27 gene expression level was analyzed using an in-house-SYBER Green real time polymerase chain reaction method. The rate of interleukin-27 gene expression level was statistically analyzed in studied patient groups and controls using the Livak (2-▵▵CT) method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression level of interleukin-27 gene was increased 10.27- and 2.36-fold in hepatitis B virus-infected and uninfected liver transplanted patients compared with healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis B virus infection can lead to overexpression of interleukin-27 gene in liver transplant patients compared with uninfected ones and controls. However, further studies are needed to characterize the effective antihepatitis B virus effects of interleukin-27 in liver transplant patients.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Zabol University, Zabol; and the Shiraz Transplant Research Center-Shiraz University of Medical Sciences-Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Abdolhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zare
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashki
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geramizadeh
authors.forename: Afsoon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afshari
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Miri
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yaghobi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007492:Iran; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D007378:Interleukins; C464565:MYDGF protein, human