Author/Authors :
Mahdavi, Meisam shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Faculty of Paramedical Sciences - Department of Laboratory Sciences, تهران, ايران , Amirrasouli, Houshang shahid beheshti university - Faculty of Paramedical Sciences - Department of Laboratory Sciences, تهران, ايران , Alavian, Moayed baqiyatallah university of medical sciences - Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, ايران , Alavian, Moayed Middle East Liver Diseases Center (MELD Center), ايران , Behnava, Bita Middle East Liver Diseases Center (MELD Center), ايران , Kazerouni, Faranak shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Faculty of Paramedical Sciences - Department of Laboratory Sciences, تهران, ايران , Keshvari, Maryam High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine - Blood Transfusion Research Center, ايران , Namaki, Saeed shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Faculty of Paramedical Sciences - Department of Laboratory Sciences, تهران, ايران , Gholami Fesharaki, Mohammad tarbiat modares university - Faculty of Medicine - Biostatistic Department, تهران, ايران , Rahimipour, Hooman shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Faculty of Medicine, تهران, ايران , Mohammadzade, Jahangir shahid beheshti university of medical sciences - Faculty of Paramedical Sciences - Department of Laboratory Sciences, تهران, ايران , Zohrehbandian, Farahnaz islamic azad university - Faculty of Basic Sciences - Department of Microbiology, ايران , Mahdavipour, Fazel ilam university of medical sciences - Faculty of Medicine, ايران
Abstract :
ackground: Chronic hepatitis B is one of the most common causes of cirrhosis and hepatocellular toxicity in many countries, including Iran. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and Natural killer (NK) cells are the two of main cell populations considered as cytotoxic cells. One of the distinct pathways CTL and NK cells exert cytotoxicity is perforin/granzyme. After the cytotoxic cell/target cell junction, perforin is released from granules by exocytosis. Once it is anchored, perforin forms cylindrical pores through which granzymes and granulysin enter and induce apoptosis. Objectives: Large controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of PEG-IFN-α-2a in treatment of chronic hepatitis B. This study was aimed to examine whether the enhancement of cytotoxicity by PEG-IFN-α-2a is mainly due to the perforin pathway. Patients and Methods: This research work was performed on 50 patients and five healthy people. Patients with chronic hepatitis B were further subdivided into two groups: patients with inactive chronic hepatitis B (carriers, n = 30), and those with active chronic hepatitis B who were under treatment with PEG-IFN-alfa-2a (n = 20) for minimum six and maximum 12 months. Serum perforin level was measured using ELISA method (CUSABIO Company), HBV viral load was assessed using COBAS Taq-man, and we used Elecsys hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) II quantitative assay method for HBs Ag determination. HBeAg was evaluated by ELISA method, and AST and ALT were measured by routine laboratorymethods. Results: Based on the results obtained serum perforin level in healthy group was 0.64 ng/mL, the mean of serum perforin level in inactive HBs Ag carriers was 2.63ng/mL, and 4.63 ng/mL in patients with active chronic hepatitis B under treatment with PEG-IFN-α-2a. The mean of serum perforin level in patients with and without virologic response to treatment were 5.45 ng/mL,and 3.4 ng/mL respectively. Finally in patients with virologic response and seroconverted serum perforin level was 7.23 ng/mL. Conclusions: Based on our results higher perforin level in patients under treatment with PEG-IFN-α-2a, could be an indication of elevated cytotoxicity via perforin/granzyme pathway.
Keywords :
Hepatitis B , Perforin , PEG , IFN , Alfa , 2a
