Soluble interleukin-2 receptor and interleukin-10 levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In the current investigation, we evaluated patients with hepatitis B infection to determine whether serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor and interleukin-10 levels were changed and whether the degree of these changes in serum levels correlated with histologic severity of hepatitis related liver injury. METHODOLOGY: 25 patients diagnosed of chronic active B hepatitis, 25 asymptomatic hepatitis B carriers, 25 healthy people with antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen and 20 healthy people without any hepatitis marker positivity were included in the study. Serum interleukin-10 and soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels were measured. The association between liver pathology, HBV DNA, serum transaminase values and these parameters were researched. RESULTS: Serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor and interleukin-10 levels were significantly higher in chronic hepatitis cases and asymptomatic carriers than that of others (P < 0.01). Serum interleukin-10 levels correlated with histological activity index and HBV DNA values (r = 0.7, P < 0.01) but not with soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels and transaminase values. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the observation that interleukin-10 and soluble interleukin-2 receptor may play an important role in the inappropriate regulation of immune response in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection and interleukin-10 may be responsible for chronicity.