Expression and significance of interleukin-18.12 and tumor necrosis factor-α in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Objective To investigate the effect of Interleukin(IL)-18,IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in hepatic injury in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP).Methods Sixty-two cases of ICP patients(ICP group),30 cases of normal pregnant women(control group)and 30 cases of hepatitis B(HBV) women (hepatitis group) were recruited. Serum IL-18, IL-12 and TNF-α were examined by ELISA. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were examined by automatic biochemical analysis instrument. Results ( 1 ) In hepatitis group, serum concentrations of IL-18,IL-12 and TNF-α were (256±51 ) ng/L, ( 122±96) ng/L and (207±3) ng/L; serum levels of ALT and AST were(363±174) U/L and (359 ±237) U/L, respectively. In ICP group, serum concentrations of IL18, IL-12 and TNF-α were (72±32) ng/L, (42 ±28) ng/L and (48±14) ng/L; serum levels of ALT and AST were (201 ±128) U/L and ( 132±87) U/L, respectively. While in control group, serum concentrations of IL-18, IL-12 and TNF-α were (43 ± 13) ng/L, ( 10±3) ng/L and (33±9) ng/L; serum levels of ALT and AST were (13 ~ 4) U/L and (15 ± 3) U/L, respectively. Serum IL-18, IL-12, TNF-α, ALT and AST levels in hepatitis group were significantly higher than those in ICP group and control group ( P ＜0. 05 ).Serum IL-18, IL-12, TNF-α, ALT and AST levels in ICP group were significantly higher than those in control group(P ＜ 0. 05 ). (2) In severe ICP subgroup, serum concentrations of IL-18, IL-12 and TNF-α were (81 ±32) ng/L, (50 ±25) ng/L and(50 ± 14) ng/L; serum levels of ALT and AST were (269 ± 111 ) U/L and (181±73) U/L In mild ICP subgroup, serum concentrations of IL-18, IL-12 and TNF-α were (48 ±18 ) ng/L, (17 ± 4 ) ng/L and (40 ± 10 ) ng/L; serum levels of ALT and AST were (87±46) U/L and (50 ±21 ) U/L, respectively. Serum IL-18, IL-12, TNF-α, ALT and AST levels in severe ICP subgroup were significantly higher than those in mild ICP subgroup and control group (P ＜ 0. 05). And serum ALT and AST levels in mild ICP subgroup were significantly higher than those in control group(P ＜0. 05). (3) There were 16 cases with preterm birth (50%, 16/32 ) and 10 cases with meconium-stained amniotic fluid( 31%, 10/32 ) in severe ICP subgroup, significantly higher than those in mild ICP subgroup ( P＜ 0. 05 ), which contained 2 preterm births ( 7%, 2/30) and 1 meconium-stained amniotic fluid (3%, 1/30). While in control group, the numbers were 1(3%, 1/30)and 1(3%, 1/30),respectively. As for the cases of neonates whose 1 minute Apgar score were not more than 7, there were 2 cases, 1 case and 1 case in severe ICP subgroup, mild ICP subgroup and control group, respectively,which showed no significant difference(P＞ 0. 05). Conclusion Serum IL-18, IL-12 and TNF-α may be involved in the process of hepatic injury of ICP.