Analysis of serum and gene expression profile of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1) in chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Ismail Che Noh; Richard Avoi; Asma Abdullah Nurul; Imran Ahmad; Ruzilawati Abu Bakar

doi:10.7717/peerj.13330

Analysis of serum and gene expression profile of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1) in chronic hepatitis C virus infection

PeerJ. 2022 Apr 20:10:e13330. doi: 10.7717/peerj.13330. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Ismail Che Noh^{1

2}, Richard Avoi³, Asma Abdullah Nurul⁴, Imran Ahmad⁵, Ruzilawati Abu Bakar²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah, Malaysia.
² Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
³ Department of Community and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah, Malaysia.
⁴ Biomedicine Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
⁵ Department of Family Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.

Abstract

Background: Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major causes of liver cirrhosis and liver carcinoma. Studies have indicated that an imbalance of cytokine activities could contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic HCV infection. This study aimed to investigate serum levels and gene expression of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1) in chronic HCV infection among Malay male subjects.

Methods: Thirty-nine subjects were enrolled from various health clinics in Kelantan, Malaysia, and divided into two groups: patients with chronic HCV infection (HP) and healthy control (HS). The serum cytokines IL-6, TNF-a-were measured using Luminex assay, and serum TGF-β1 was measured by ELISA. The mRNA gene expression for IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-β1 was measured by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: There were statistically significant differences in the mean serum levels of IL-6, and TGF-β1 in HP compared to HS group (p = 0.0180 and p = 0.0005, respectively). There was no significant difference in the mean serum level of TNF-α in HP compared to HS group. The gene expression for the studied cytokines showed no significant differences in HP compared to HS group.

Conclusion: Serum IL-6 was significantly associated with chronic HCV infection.

Keywords: Cytokine; Gene expression; Hepatitis C infection; Serum level.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cytokines / genetics
Hepatitis C, Chronic* / genetics
Humans
Interleukin-6 / genetics
Liver Neoplasms*
Male
Transcriptome
Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / genetics
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics

Substances

Cytokines
Transforming Growth Factor beta1
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Interleukin-6

Grants and funding

The research was financially supported by the Research University (RU), Universiti Sains Malaysia, (1001/PPSP/8012256). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.