Citation Information :
Afroz N, Rizvi M, Azam M, Ajmal M, Malik A, Shukla I. Role of Interferon-gamma and Interleukin-12 in the Immunopathogenesis of Hepatitis B Virus Infection. Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol 2012; 2 (1):5-9.
Objective: To study the role of interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon
(IFN)- in immunopathogenesis of hepatitis B virus (HBV)
infection.
Materials and methods: One hundred and fifty-seven patients
with hepatitis B were screened by serological and molecular
markers for HBV. Serum IL-12 and IFN- levels were estimated.
Results: Among patients with acute HBV (AHB), the mean
levels of IFN- (52.35 pg/ml) and IL-12 (57.12 pg/ml) were
significantly higher in patients with nonnecrotizing inflammation
(NNI) compared to those in patients with necrotizing
inflammation (NI) (32.17 pg/ml and 42 pg/ml for IFN- and IL-
12 respectively). In chronic HBV (CHB) with NI, IFN- levels
were much higher than the same in AHB. However, no
significant difference was found in IL-12 levels. IL-12 levels
(25.76 pg/ml) were lower in NNI of CHB patients, while the levels
of IL-12 were comparable between NI patients with AHB and
CHB. Both IFN- and IL-12 were higher in hepatitis B e-antigen
(HBeAg)-negative patients than HBeAg-positive patients. .
Conclusion: Both IFN- and IL-12 appear to play a role in AHB
and HBeAg negativity, however, further study will be required
to get their precise role.
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