To study the role of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and granulocyte
macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the pathogenesis of
chronic active viral hepatitis (CAH), the serum levels of IL-8 and
GM-CSF were measured. They were estimated by ELISA technique in
38 children with (CAH) and 10 normal control children, the patients were
grouped according to their viral markers into 3 groups. Group I included
13 children (8 males and 5 females) due to HBV infection, group II
included 18 children (12 males and 6 females) due to HCV infection,
group III included 7 patients (4 males and 3 females) due to mixed HBV
and HCV infection. Our study showed that serum levels of IL-8 were
6.48 ± 1.67 pg/ml in the control group and 57.76 ± 35.79, 98.97 ± 53.19
and 76.38 ± 51.08 pg/ml in the 3 patients groups of CAH respectively.
The serum levels of GM-CSF were 3.9 ± 1.1 pg/ml in the control group
and (52.02 ± 25.1, 68.57 ± 44.05 and 67.32 ± 40.48 pg/ml) in the 3
groups of CAH respectively. There were a highly significant (r0.001)
difference in both IL-8 and GM-CSF levels, in the 3 groups of CAH and the control group. Moreover, there were a significant correlation between
both IL-8 and GM-CSF and liver function tests (AST. ALT and serum
bilirubin) but no significant correlation between them and serum protein,
alkaline phosphatase and prothrombin time. It can be concluded that IL-8
and GM-CSF were increased in chronic active viral hepatitis and
correlated significantly with the severity or hepatic viral affection as
determined by increased level of ALT, AST and bilirubin. IL-8 has a
chemoattractant effect for neutrophils and GM-CSF stimulates
proliferation and maturation of myeloid progenitors cells giving rise to
neutrophils and monocytes, so, they increase the number of phagocytic
cells and so, they may play a significant role in host defence and
pathogenesis of chronic viral hepatitis. |
