SERUM IL-8 LEVELS AND LOCALIZATION OF IL-8 IN LIVER FROM PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC VIRAL-HEPATITIS

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Interleukin 8 is known as a chemotactic factor for ne utrophils and T cells. Such inflammatory cells are observed in the Liv er tissue in chronic viral hepatitis. However, it is not known whether interleukin 8 relates to hepatic injury in patients with chronic vira l hepatitis. Therefore, we determined serum interleukin 8 levels and i dentified the cells related to interleukin 8 production in Liver tissu e. METHODOLOGY: Studies were performed on 29 patients with chronic vir al hepatitis and 20 normal controls. Serum interleukin 8 levels were a ssayed using a sandwich ELISA. Immunohistochemical examination was per formed to identify the cells related to interleukin 8 production by us ing a rabbit polyvalent antibody to human interleukin 8. RESULTS: Seru m interleukin 8 levels were found to be increased significantly (p<0.0 5) in patients with chronic viral hepatitis compared with normal contr ols. They were also increased significantly in patients with chronic a ctive hepatitis compared with chronic persistent hepatitis (p<0.05), a nd during exacerbation stages compared with remission stages (p<0.05). Out of the 10 patients examined immunohistochemically, interleukin 8 positive cells in the liver tissue were visualized in 7 patients and o bserved mainly along sinusoids. There was significant correlation betw een serum interleukin 8 levels and intensity of staining for interleuk in 8 in the liver tissue (p<0.05, r=0.869). CONCLUSIONS: Interleukin 8 plays a role in hepatic injury in patients with chronic viral hepatit is, and is mainly produced by nonparenchymal cells in the liver.