El Husseiny NM, Fahmy HM, Mohamed WA, Amin HH. Relationship between vitamin D and IL-23, IL-17 and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 as markers of fibrosis in hepatitis C virus Egyptians.
World J Hepatol 2012;
4:242-7. [PMID:
22993666 PMCID:
PMC3443706 DOI:
10.4254/wjh.v4.i8.242]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2012] [Revised: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 08/23/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM
To assess vitamin D in hepatitis C patients and its relationship to interleukin (IL)-23, IL-17, and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1).
METHODS
The study was conducted on 50 Egyptian hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype number IV-infected patients and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy subjects. Venous blood samples were obtained. Samples were allowed to clot and sera were separated by centrifugation and stored at -20 °C. A 25 hydroxy vitamin D assay was carried out using solid phase RIA. A 1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D assay was carried out using a commercial kit purchased from Incstar Corporation. IL-17 and -23 and MCP-1 were assayed by an enzyme immunoassay. Quantitative and qualitative polymerase chain reaction for HCV virus were done by TaqMan technology. Only HCV genotype IV-infected subjects were included in the study. The mean ± SD were determined, a t-test for comparison of means of different parameters was used. Correlation analysis was done using Pearson's correlation. Differences among different groups were determined using the Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS
The mean vitamin D level in HCV patients (group I) was 15 ± 5.2 ng/mL while in control (group II) was 39.7 ± 10.8. For active vitamin D in group I as 16.6 ± 4.8 ng/mL while in group II was 41.9 ± 7.9. IL-23 was 154 ± 97.8 in group I and 6.7 ± 2.17 in group II. IL-17 was 70.7 ± 72.5 in cases and 1.2 ± 0.4 in control. MCP-1 was 1582 ± 794.4 in group I and 216.1 ± 5.38 in group II. Vitamin D deficiency affected 72% of HCV-infected patients and 0% of the control group. Vitamin D insufficiency existed in 28% of HCV-infected patients and 12% of the control group. One hundred percent of the cirrhotic patients and 40% of non cirrhotic HCV-infected patients had vitamin D deficiency. IL-23, IL-17, and MCP-1 were markedly increased in HCV-infected patients in comparison to controls.A significant negative correlation between vitamin D and IL-17 and -23 and MCP-1 was detected. HCV-infected males and females showed no differences with respect to viral load, vitamin D levels, IL-17, IL-23 and MCP-1. The viral load was negatively correlated with vitamin D and active vitamin D (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.001, respectively), while positively correlated with IL-23, IL-17, and MCP-1. We classified the patients according to sonar findings into four groups. Group Ia with bright hepatomegaly and included 14 patients. Group Ib with perihepatic fibrosis and included 11 patients. Group Ic with liver cirrhosis and included 11 patients. Group Id with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and included 14 patients. Vitamin D and active vitamin D were shown to be lower in cirrhotic patients and much lower in patients with HCC, and this difference was highly significant (P = 0.0001). IL-17 and -23 and MCP-1 were higher in advanced liver disease) and the differences were highly significant (P = 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
Whether the deficiency of vitamin D is related to HCV-induced chronic liver disease or predisposing factor for higher viral load is a matter of debate.
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