Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Elevation of interleukin 6 levels in patients with chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis C virus

  • Liver, Pancreas, and Biliary Tract
  • Published:
Journal of Gastroenterology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine produced by a wide variety of lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues. We studied the relationship between IL-6 and the liver in an attempt to elucidate this cytokine's role in hepatitis C-induced liver inflammation. We investigated the behavior of serum IL-6 in 25 patients with chronic hepatitis C (divided into three groups depending on severity) and in 27 healthy controls. Our results showed a significant elevation (P<0.0001) in serum IL-6 levels in the patients with chronic hepatitis C, correlated with the histological activity index (HAI) and their HCV-RNA serum levels. This rise may represent the expression of the hepatitis C virusinduced inflammatory state.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bowcock AM, Kidd JR, Lantrop M, et al. The human “B2” interferon/hepatocyte stimulating factor/interleukin gene: DNA polymorphism studies and localization to chromosome 7p21. Genomics 1988;3:8–12.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Sehgal PB, Zilberstein A, Ruggieri RM, et al. Human chromosome 7 carries the B2 interferon gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 1986;83:5219–5222.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Yasukawa K, Hirano T, Watanabe K, et al. Structure and expression of human B cell stimulatory factor-2 (BSF-2/IL-6) gene. EMBO J 1987;6:2939–2945.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Richards CD, Brown TJ, Shoyab M, et al. Recombinant oncostatin M stimulates the production of acute phase proteins in HepG2 cells and rat primary hepatocytes in vitro. J Immunol 1992;148:1731–1736.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Schooltinink H, Stoyan T, Roeb E, et al. Ciliary neurotropic factor induces acute phase protein expression in hepatocytes. FEBS letters 1992;314:280–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Malaguarnera M, Trovato BA, Laurino A, et al. Interleukin 6 in hepatitis C cirrhosis. Panminerva Medica, 1996;48:207–211.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Malaguarnera M, Di Fazio I, Laurino A, et al. Rôle de l' interleukine 6 dans le carcinome hépatocellulaire. Bulletin du Cancer 1996;83:379–384.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hagiwara H, Hayashi N, Mita E, et al. Quantitative analysis of hepatitis C virus RNA in serum during interferon alfa therapy. Gastroenterology 1993;104:877–883.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hagiwara H, Hayashi N, Mita E, et al. Quantitation of hepatitis C virus RNA in serum of asymptomatic blood donors and patients with type C chronic liver disease. Hepatology 1993;17: 545–550.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Becker-Andre M, Hahlbrock K. Absolute mRNA quantification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR): A novel approach by a PCR-aided transcript titration assay (PATTY). Nucleic Acids Res 1989;17:9437–9446.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Okamoto H, Sugiyama Y, Okada S, et al. Typing hepatitis C virus by polymerase chain reaction with type-specific primers: Application to clinical surveys and tracing infectious sources. J Gen Virol 1992;73:673–679.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Torp-Pedersen S, Vyberg M, Smith E, et al. Surecut 0.6 mm liver biopsy in the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Liver 1990;10:217–220.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Desmet VJ, Gerber M, Hoofnagle JH, et al. Classification of chronic hepatitis: Diagnosis, grading and staging. Hepatology 1994;19:1513–1520.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Feder LS, Todaro JA, Laskin DL. Characterization of interleukin 1 and interleukin 6 production by hepatic endothelial cells and macrophages. J Leuk Biol 1993;53:126–132.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Emilie D, Navratil E, Devegne O, et al. Monokine gene expression in normal human liver: Selective involvment of the portal compartment. Liver 1992;12:34–41.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Gauldie J, Richards C, Harnish D, et al. Interferon B 2/B cell stimulatory factor type 2 shares identity with monocyte-derived hepatocyte-stimulating factors and regulates the major acute phase protein response in liver cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1987;84:7251.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Andus T, Bauer J, Gerok W. Effects of cytokines on, the liver. Hepatology 1991;13:364–375.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Mizuhara H, O'Neil E, Seki N, et al. T cell-associated hepatic injury: Mediation by tumor necrosis factor and protection by interleukin 6. J Exp Med 1994;179:1529–1537.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Busam KJ, Bauer TM, Bauer J, et al. Interleukin 6 release by rat liver macrophages. J Hepatol 1990;11:376–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Tilg H, Axel W, Wolfang V, et al. Serum levels of cytokines in chronic liver disease. Gastroenterology 1992;103:264–274.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania, via Messina, P.O. “Cannizzaro”, 829-95126, Catania, Italy

    Mariano Malaguarnera, Ignazio Di Fazio, Maria Antonietta Romeo, Salvatore Restuccia, Antonina Laurino & Barbara Adriana Trovato

Authors
  1. Mariano Malaguarnera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ignazio Di Fazio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maria Antonietta Romeo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Salvatore Restuccia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Antonina Laurino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Barbara Adriana Trovato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Malaguarnera, M., Di Fazio, I., Romeo, M.A. et al. Elevation of interleukin 6 levels in patients with chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis C virus. J Gastroenterol 32, 211–215 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02936370

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02936370

Key words

Search

Navigation