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- Title
Gene expression of interleukin-12 receptor β2 chain and Th1 population of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in chronic hepatitis C
- Authors
Satoh, Hiroko; Kobayashi, Koju; Shiina, Masaaki; Izuma, Masaaki; Ueno, Yoshiyuki; Niitsuma, Hirofumi; Ojima, Toshiyuki; Ishii, Motoyasu; Shimosegawa, Tooru
- Abstract
Gene expression of interleukin 12-receptor β2 chain mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was examined in patients with chronic hepatitis C (n=7) and in healthy control subjects (n=6) by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The level of interleukin 12-receptor β2 chain mRNA was higher in patients with chronic hepatitis C than in healthy subjects (P=0.032). The level of interleukin 12-receptor β2 chain mRNA had a weak correlation with the ratio of Th1 to Th2 populations (r=0.714, P=0.020). There was a tendency for the level of interleukin 12-receptor β2 mRNA to increase both in chronic hepatitis C (P=0.109) and in healthy volunteers (P=0.144) after the incubation of PBMCs with interferon-α in vitro. During interferon-α administration to the patients with chronic hepatitis C, the level of interleukin 12-receptor β2 chain mRNA in PBMCs was increased in all four cases. Although this is a preliminary study with a small sample size, our results suggest that the level of interleukin 12-receptor β2 chain mRNA is higher than normal in patients with chronic hepatitis C and can be further enhanced by interferon therapy.
- Subjects
GENE expression; INTERLEUKIN-12; BLOOD cells; HEPATITIS C; GENETICS
- Publication
Hepatology Research, 2002, Vol 22, Issue 4, p270
- ISSN
1386-6346
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1016/S1386-6346(01)00151-6