Effect of interferon alpha2b plus ribavirin treatment on selected growth factors in respect to inflammation and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C

AIM: Growth factors (GF) that participate in regeneration and apoptosis have an important role in chronic liver diseases. We analyzed serum GF concentration during antiviral treatment and correlated it with morphological liver failure in chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: The levels of GF were determined in sera by ELISA method in 0, 16, 32 and 48 wk of therapy in 40 patients treated with IFNalpha2b (9 MU sc/wk) and RBV (1.2 g/d) and in 25 healthy subjects. Blind liver biopsies were done before treatment with histological grading and staging examination. RESULTS: The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were markedly elevated prior the treatment and decreased during the therapy, although they did not reach the normal level. In non-responding (NR) patients, HGF and EGF were higher than that in responders (R), however differences were not significant. Before the treatment thrombopoietin (TPO) level was significantly lower in R than in NR (P<0.03). Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) concentration was lower in chronic hepatitis C than in healthy subjects and decreased during the treatment. A significant positive correlation was observed between inflammatory activity in the liver tissue and the concentration of HGF (in R: r = 0.4, in NR: r = 0.5), TPO (R: r = 0.6), and a significant negative correlation between this activity and EGF (R: r = -0.6) and PDGF (R: r = -0.5). Serum HGF concentration was higher in more advanced fibrosis (R: r = 0.5, P<0.05; NR: r = 0.4, P<0.03). CONCLUSION: The decrease in PDGF can be an effective prognostic marker of the treatment and HCV elimination. Decreasing HGF, EGF, and PDGF can influence the inhibition of inflammatory and fibrotic processes in the liver during the antiviral treatment.