OBJECTIVE: This study examined the T helper (Th) 1/Th17-related cytokines, interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17 in the serum of biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis C patients before and after IFN and ribavirin therapy to address whether or not viral clearance is related to Th1/Th17 cytokines. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-17 were assayed by ELISA on 26 patients with chronic hepatitic C virus (HCV) infection before the start and 3 months after treatment with pegylated IFN-α plus ribavirin and compared with sera from 15 normal control subjects. RESULTS: IFN-γ and IL-17 levels are higher in the serum of patients with chronic hepatitis than in normal controls and these elevated levels were not directly correlated (r = -0.01, p = 0.96 for IFN-γ and r = -0.08, p = 0.66 for IL-17) to the viremic state of the HCV infection. In contrast to IL-17, IFN-γ showed significant reduction after 12 weeks of treatment with pegylated IFN plus ribavirin. However, IFN-γ and IL-17 serum levels were not significantly (p = 0.19 and = 0.70, respectively) different among responders and nonresponders for pegylated IFN plus ribavirin therapy. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the combined treatment with pegylated IFN-α and ribavirin downmodulates the secretion of key cytokine IFN-γ as early as 12 weeks after treatment in infected patients. These findings could encourage new exciting possibilities for immune-based interventions with the aim of restoring functional antiviral T cell responses combined with improved viral clearance.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined the T helper (Th) 1/Th17-related cytokines, interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17 in the serum of biopsy-proven chronic hepatitis Cpatients before and after IFN and ribavirin therapy to address whether or not viral clearance is related to Th1/Th17 cytokines. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-17 were assayed by ELISA on 26 patients with chronic hepatitic C virus (HCV) infection before the start and 3 months after treatment with pegylated IFN-α plus ribavirin and compared with sera from 15 normal control subjects. RESULTS:IFN-γ and IL-17 levels are higher in the serum of patients with chronic hepatitis than in normal controls and these elevated levels were not directly correlated (r = -0.01, p = 0.96 for IFN-γ and r = -0.08, p = 0.66 for IL-17) to the viremic state of the HCV infection. In contrast to IL-17, IFN-γ showed significant reduction after 12 weeks of treatment with pegylated IFN plus ribavirin. However, IFN-γ and IL-17 serum levels were not significantly (p = 0.19 and = 0.70, respectively) different among responders and nonresponders for pegylated IFN plus ribavirin therapy. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the combined treatment with pegylated IFN-α and ribavirin downmodulates the secretion of key cytokine IFN-γ as early as 12 weeks after treatment in infectedpatients. These findings could encourage new exciting possibilities for immune-based interventions with the aim of restoring functional antiviral T cell responses combined with improved viral clearance.
Authors: José Francisco Zambrano-Zaragoza; Enrique Jhonatan Romo-Martínez; Ma de Jesús Durán-Avelar; Noemí García-Magallanes; Norberto Vibanco-Pérez Journal: Int J Inflam Date: 2014-08-03
Authors: Luis Alberto Sánchez-Vargas; Karina Guadalupe Hernández-Flores; Pablo Thomas-Dupont; Irma Yadira Izaguirre-Hernández; Elvis Efraín Sánchez-Marce; Ricardo Remes-Ruiz; Salvador Fonseca-Coronado; Pablo Augurio Hernández-Romano; María Estrella Flores-Collins; Héctor Vivanco-Cid Journal: Viruses Date: 2020-12-13 Impact factor: 5.048