[The cytokine profile in patients with chronic type C hepatitis]

The purpose of the study was to perform complex evaluation of cytokine status in patients with type C chronic hepatitis (CCH), taking into account its system and local parameters and their correlation with peculiarities of clinical and morphological parameters. The study revealed a significant increase of concentrations of cytokines Th-2, interleukins (IL-4, IL-10), and proinflammatory cytokines (IL -1alpha, IL -12p40, IL -12p70), as well as a significant decrease of Th1-cytokine (IL-2 and interferon-gamma) levels, both in blood and in the supernatant of hepatic tissue samples. The study also found an increase of serum and local tumor necrosis factor (TNF) -alpha and established a correlation between the levels of the system and local cytokines under study, on the one part, and clinical, laboratory and morphological parameters, on the other, which evidences their significant role in CCH immunopathogenesis. The most significant from the clinical point of view are serum and local levels of TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-12p40; the most important parameters for determination of inflammatory activity of the pathologic process and fibrosis stage are concentrations of IL-4, IL-10, and IL-12p70 in serum and the supernatant of hepatic tissue samples.