Aim is to study association of gene polymorphisms IL-10 (G1082A), IL-4 (C589T), concentration of these cytokines in blood of the patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and the degree of liver fibrosis, comparison of these results with results of investigation of healthy persons belonging to ethnically homogeneous group of residents of the Odessa region.
Materials and methods. The study includes 100 patients with chronic hepatitis C. The control group includes 30 people who did not have diseases of the hepatobiliary system. Polymorphism amplification was investigated using respective portions of the genome by PCR. The structure of the primers used are described in the GenBank. Evaluation of morphological changes in the liver (the degree of activity and severity of fibrotic changes) was determined on a scale METAVIR using a non-invasive method Fibrotest.
Results. It is established a certain level of statistical significance of genotypes of cytokines, quantity of cytokines and the degree of liver fibrosis. Patients with homozygous CC genotype IL-4 had low level of fibrotic changes. Patients with homozygous GG genotype IL-10 had low level of fibrotic changes. There is moderate positive association between IL-4 genotypes and IL-4 content: higher content of IL-4 is noted in carriers of the CC genotype, less IL-4 in carriers of the TT genotype. There is moderate positive association between IL-4 genotypes and IL-10 content: higher content of IL-10 is noted in carriers of the HS genotype, less IL-10 in carriers of the TT genotype (p<0.01).
Conclusion. As a result of the pilot study, it can be assumed that the IL-4 CC genotype has anti-inflammatory activity, since it dominates in patients with fibrosis F0-F1. Probably, combinations of genotypes of TT IL-4 and AA-IL-10 are associated with a profibrogenic effect, as they are found in patients with F2–F3 fibrosis. The severity of changes in the cytokine profile in chronic hepatitis C affects the course of the pathological process. The increase in IL-4 and IL-10 in chronic hepatitis C can be a marker of pronounced morphological changes in the hepatic tissue and a high activity of the inflammatory process.