Circulating Th1 and Th2 cytokines in patients with hepatitis C virus infection

Abstract

The imbalance of T-helper (Th) lymphocyte cytokine production may play an important role in immunopathogenesis of persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. To know whether an imbalance between Th1 and Th2 cytokines is present in chronic HCV infection, serum levels of Th1 cytokines, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin (IL)-2, and Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10, were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in this study. Eighteen individuals with chronic HCV infection, 11 healthy subjects as normal controls and 10 chronic HBV infected patients as disease controls were observed. The results showed that the levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) were significantly increased in chronic HCV infected patients compared with normal controls (IL-4: 30.49+/-17.55 vs. 14.94+/-13.73, pg/ml, P<0.025; IL-10: 50.30+/-19.59 vs. 17.87+/-9.49, pg/ml, P<0.001). Similarly, the levels of Th1 cytokine, IL-2, was also elevated in individuals with chronic HCV infection when compared with normal controls (IL-2: 118.53+/-95.23 vs. 61.57+/-28.70, pg/ml, P<0.05). However, Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma level was not significantly changed during HCV infection (IFN-gamma: 28.09+/-15.65 vs. 24.10+/-15.61, pg/ml, P>0.05). Furthermore, the elevated levels of Th2 cytokines are greater than Th1 cytokines in HCV infection. Thus, the study indicates that an enhanced Th2 responses are present during chronic HCV infection, which may partly be responsible for the persistence of HCV infection.

Dengue virus infection promotes translocation of high mobility group box 1 protein from the nucleus to the cytosol in dendritic cells, upregulates cytokine production and modulates virus replication

“…It has been speculated that inflammatory responses mediated by active and/or passive release of HMGB1 contribute to pathogenesis of viral infections (Wang et al, 2006). Viruses can induce necrotic cell death and/or trigger inflammatory responses (Chu & Ng, 2003;Fan & Zhang, 1994;Fan et al, 1998;Joseph et al, 2004;Julkunen et al, 2001), which may lead to active and/or passive release of HMGB1. A recent study established that DENV infection elicits passive release of HMGB1 from necrotic epithelial cells infected at high m.o.i.…”

Circulating Biomarkers and their Possible Role in Pathogenesis of Chronic Hepatitis B and C Viral Infections

“…While Th1 cytokine profile suggests a cell-mediated immunity and is associated with recovery [6], Th2 cytokine response takes place in development of persistent lifelong infection [7]. Thus, it can be stated that the imbalance of pro-inflammatory Th1 and anti-inflammatory Th2 cytokine production may play an important role in the pathogenesis of viral hepatic infections.…”

Coligation of the Hepatitis C Virus Receptor CD81 with CD28 Primes Naive T Lymphocytes to Acquire Type 2 Effector Function

“…However, it is yet unclear what could be the factors that favor an efficacious response. In this context, previous works suggest that disease chronicity may depend on an imbalance between type 1 and type 2 immunity, which has been described either as a lack of the former (18 -21) or an excess of the latter, distinguished by peripheral and intrahepatic production of cytokines like IL-4 and IL-13 (22)(23)(24)(25).…”