ELEVATION OF INTERLEUKIN-6 LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS DUE TO HEPATITIS-C VIRUS

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine produced by a wide vari ety of lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues. We studied the relationship b etween IL-6 and the liver in an attempt to elucidate this cytokine's r ole in hepatitis C-induced liver inflammation. We investigated the beh avior of serum IL-6 in 25 patients with chronic hepatitis C (divided i nto three groups depending on severity) and in 27 healthy controls. Ou r results showed a significant elevation (P < 0.0001) in serum IL-6 le vels in the patients with chronic hepatitis C, correlated with the his tological activity index (HAI) and their HCV-RNA serum levels. This ri se may represent the expression of the hepatitis C virus-induced infla mmatory state.