SERUM LEVELS OF SOLUBLE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS-CTREATED WITH INTERFERON-ALPHA

Background: Serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) se em to serve as a marker for the activation of T lymphocytes. The aim o f this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of such levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with interferon. Me thods: We measured serum levels of sIL-2R in 37 patients with CHC befo re and after treatment with recombinant interferon-alpha. Serum recept or levels were then compared with the response of the hepatitis C viru s (HCV)-RNA level in serum after interferon. Results: Receptor levels were significantly higher in the patients with chronic persistent hepa titis and chronic active hepatitis than in normal controls (p < 0.01). There was a weak correlation between serum sIL-2R and alanine aminotr ansferase (ALAT) levels (r = 0.14, p = 0.010). Patients were then clas sified into three groups on the basis of the effect of interferon trea tment on HCV-RNA levels in serum: sustained response (SR; n = 21), non -sustained response (NSR; n = 14), and non response (NR; n = 2). Befor e and during interferon treatment the serum sIL-2R level remained incr eased in the SR group and in the combined groups with NSR or NR. Howev er, after interferon was withdrawn, the serum sIL-2R decreased in the SR group but remained significantly increased in the combined response group (p < 0.01-0.05). Conclusion: This finding seems to reflect the disappearance of HCV-RNA from the serum of the patients with an SR, an d monitoring of sIL-2R levels may therefore be of value as an adjunct to the measurement of serum ALAT and HCV-RNA in evaluating the respons e to the interferon therapy for CHC.