Intrahepatic expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokine mRNAs and interferon efficacy in chronic hepatitis C
1996; Wiley; Volume: 16; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1111/j.1600-0676.1996.tb00768.x
ISSN1600-0676
AutoresRyo Fukuda, Norihisa Ishimura, Shunji Ishihara, Aktaruzzaman Chowdhury, Nobuyuki Moriyama, Chie Nogami, Tatsuya Miyake, Misa Niigaki, Alejandro Tokuda, Shuichi Satoh, Shino Sakai, Shuji Akagi, Makoto Watanabe, Shiro Fukumoto,
Tópico(s)Liver Diseases and Immunity
ResumoAbstract: To investigate the relationship between intrahepatic cytokine expression and interferon (IFN) response in chronic hepatitis C [CH(C)], interleukin (IL)‐1ß,‐2,‐4,‐6,‐8, interferon (IFN)‐γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and TNF‐ß mRNAs were investigated semiquantitatively by reverese transcription polymerase chain reaction using serial liver biopsies taken before and after IFN‐α treatment from 24 patients with CH(C), including 12 responders and 12 non‐responders. Before IFN treatment, IL‐2, TNF‐ß, IFN‐γ and IL‐8 mRNA were associated with severe hepatitis activity whereas IL‐4 mRNA was associated with weak hepatitis activity, regardless of IFN response. IL‐2, TNF‐ß and IFN‐γ mRNAs were significantly greater in IFN non‐responders. After IFN treatment a complete response to IFN was significantly associated with the disappearance of these pro‐inflammatory cytokines, whereas non‐responders retained the expression of cytokine mRNA as before IFN treatment. Our results indicated that IFN‐α treatment may modulate the intrahepatic cytokine network, and this may be one mechanism of IFN‐α that reduces hepatitis activity, aside from an anti‐viral effect. A difference in cytokine network may be involved in IFN response in CH(C).
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