Cytokine profile in the liver of primary biliary cirrhosis

We characterized the cytokine profile in the liver of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Total RNA was extracted from the biopsy specimens of 9 patients with early-stage PBC, 10 with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and 4 normal controls. cDNA was prepared and amplified with a polymerase chain reaction using primers for interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2, -4, -5, -6, -10, -12 (p40), and -15. Cytokines such as IFN-gamma and IL-5, -6, -10, -12, and -15 were expressed in most cases of PBC. Expression rates of IL-5 and IL-6 were higher than in CHC and controls. The higher expressi on rate of IL-5 in PBC was associated with eosinophil infiltration. IL-2 an d IL-4 were rarely detected. Semiquantitative analysis revealed that the ex pression of IFN-gamma and IL-10 was reversed in PBC and CHC: high IFN-gamma and low IL-10 in PBC and high IL-10 and low IFN-gamma in CHC. These result s suggest that cytokine expression is skewed in PBC and both Th1 and Th2 cy tokines may play a role in the pathogenesis.