Effect of direct acting antiviral treatment based on sofosbuvir on the dynamic changes of serum cytokines in chronic hepatitis C patients

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To analyze the effect of direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment based on sofosbuvir on the dynamic changes of cytokines in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.Methods From June 2018 to October 2021, 78 newly diagnosed CHC patients were selected, including 41 males and 37 females, aged (52.3±10.7) years. According to the different stages of HCV infection, they were divided into a chronic hepatitis group and a cirrhosis group. In addition, 50 physical examination subjects in the same time period were selected as control, including 29 males and 21 females, aged (51.2±11.5) years. The dynamic changes of cytokines levels of CHC at different disease stages were compared before and after DAAs treatment.Results Comparing the baseline data of CHC and healthy people, the ALT, AST and TBil of healthy people were 20 (12, 35) U/L, 22 (14, 31) U/L and 10.6 (8.0, 13.6) ?mol/L, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of [59 (37,92) U/L, 47 (40, 82) U/L and 21.8 (14.8, 38.0) μmol/L in CHC patients, respectively, P<0.05]. The levels of IL-6, MCP-4 and VEGF-A in healthy subjects were 170.8 (122.0, 268.9)pg/mL, 60.3 (39.4, 110.5)pg/mL and 8.1 (3.6, 15.9)pg/mL, and in CHC patients were [271.2(184.6, 431.2)pg/mL, 132.4 (96.2, 210.5)pg/mL and 20.8 (12.3, 25.8)pg/mL], respectively, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The levels of IL-7 in healthy persons and patients with CHC were 18.0 (7.2, 25.2)pg/mL and 9.2 (6.2, 14.5)pg/mL, respectively, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After 12 weeks of treatment with DAAs regimen based on sofosbuvir, the sustained virological response (SVR) rate of CHC patients was 93.6% (73/78), including 98.1% (52/53) of chronic hepatitis cases and 84.0% (21/25) of cirrhosis cases, with statistical significance (P<0.05). Comparing the dynamic changes of cytokines before and after treatment, IL-6 expression in CHC before treatment, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis after treatment were 271.2 (184.6, 431.2) pg/mL, 202.6 (146.2, 286.8) pg/mL and 238.1 (158.7, 365.0) pg/mL, respectively, with statistical differences (P<0.05). The levels of IL-7 in CHC before treatment, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis after treatment were 9.2 (6.2, 14.5) pg/mL, 14.5 (12.7, 19.2) pg/mL and 11.6 (10.6, 13.0) pg/mL, respectively, with statistical significance (P<0.05). The MCP-4 levels of CHC before treatment, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis after treatment were 132.4 (96.2, 210.5) pg/mL, 94.0 (68.7, 120.9) pg/mL and 110.2 (98.6, 146.5) pg/mL, respectively, with statistical significance (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of VEGF-A in chronic hepatitis [25.6 (21.1, 30.7) pg/mL] and liver cirrhosis [27.0 (24.5, 32.6) pg/mL] were significantly higher than those in CHC [20.8 (12.3, 25.8) pg/mL, P<0.05] before treatment.Conclusion IL-6, IL-7, MCP-4 and VEGF-A are involved in the immune response of CHC patients. DAA treatment based on sophorbuvir can significantly affect the serum concentrations of the inflammatory cytokines and improve the inflammatory state of patients.

Key words: Chronic hepatitis C, Cytokines, Direct acting antiviral treatment, Persistent virological response

YE Fei-xiang, LI Jing, LIU Jing-rui, LIU Pei, DU Yun-fei. Effect of direct acting antiviral treatment based on sofosbuvir on the dynamic changes of serum cytokines in chronic hepatitis C patients[J]. Chinese Hepatolgy, 2022, 27(11): 1194-1197.

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