Expression of Interleukin-17 associated with disease progression and liver fibrosis with hepatitis B virus infection: IL-17 in HBV infection

Diagnostic Pathology

Shi-Jun Chen¹  Lai-Ying Qin¹  Yan Xu¹  Zhao-Min Zheng¹  Zhao-Qing Zeng¹  Jun-Hui Zhen²  Wen-Jun Du¹ 

[1] Department of Liver Diseases, Jinan Infectious Disease Hospital, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China;Department of Pathology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China

关键词: Fibrosis;    Chronic liver failure;    Primary hepatitis carcinoma;    Liver cirrhosis;    Chronic hepatitis B;    Hepatitis B virus;    Interleukin-17;    Hepatitis B surface antigen Carriers;    Asymptomatic;   

Others  :  807412
DOI  :  10.1186/1746-1596-8-40

 received in 2012-10-24, accepted in 2013-02-22,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background/objectives

As a proinflammatory cytokine, interleukin-17 (IL-17) contributes to the inflammation of many autoimmune diseases. We examined IL-17 levels in serum and tissues from patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (HBV), and especially evaluated the role of IL-17 in the pathogenesis and progression of liver fibrosis.

Materials and methods

Whole venous blood was obtained from four patient groups: chronic hepatitis B (CHB, n = 47), liver cirrhosis (LC, n = 49), primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC, n = 44), chronic liver failure (CLF, n = 33), and a normal control group (n = 20). HBsAg was positive in all patients. Liver biopsy samples were acquired from asymptomatic HBsAg carriers (ASC, n = 35), CHB (n = 57), and LC (n = 31) patients. We performed ELISA to measure IL-17 levels in serum samples, and used reverse RT-PCR to measure IL-17 mRNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). IL-17 protein expression was detected in liver biopsy tissues by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Compared to normal controls, serum IL-17 protein and mRNA levels were significantly higher in the four infection groups. LC patients exhibited the highest serum IL-17 and PBMC mRNA levels. No significant differences were found between the other three groups. High levels of IL-17 were also observed in tissues from CHB and LC patients, compared to ASC. IL-17 expression was mainly located in the portal area and was positively correlated with inflammation grade and fibrosis stage.

Conclusions

IL-17 expression was found to be increased with increasing degrees of liver fibrosis. This suggests that IL-17 may not only induce the inflammation, but also contribute to disease progression and chronicity.

Virtual Slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5306959258322482 webcite

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Du et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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