Immunopathogenesis of viral hepatitis

Association of the Interleukin-27 Gene Expression and Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Liver Transplanted Patients

OBJECTIVES

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.

MATERIALS AND 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.

CONCLUSION

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.

The analysis of correlation between IL-12 gene expression and hepatitis B virus in the affected patients

Hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection, which is one of the global public health concerns, is among the most common causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. It was proposed that cytokine-mediated immunity plays a critical role in determining the outcomes of hepatitis B virus infection. Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a heterodimeric cytokine that shows a broad range of immunoregulatory properties during immune responses and combats host invading pathogens. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the possible association between expression levels of IL-12 gene with HBV infection in patients with HBV infection. This clinical study was performed on 30 HBV patients and 30 healthy controls. SYBR Green Real-time PCR was performed to examine the expression level of IL-12 gene in HBV patients. Then, the rate of expression was calculated using the Livak ([Formula: see text] ) method. ΔCT of samples in the two groups were compared using t test method. PCR was also used for HBV-DNA evidence. The results of our study demonstrated that the difference in mean of IL-12 gene expression between healthy subjects and HBV patients is statistically significant.