Abstract: Objective To investigate the impact of recombinant human interferon-α2b(rhIFN-α2b) on serum hepcidin levels in hepatitis C patients, and to preliminarily explore its imderlying mechanism. Methods A total of 35 hepatitis C patients from January 2020 to January 2023 were selected and divided into a treatment group (n=20) and an untreated group (n=15) based on whether they received rhIFN-α2b treatment in the last 3 months. Serum hepcidin levels were measured in both groups. Additionally, serum hepcidin, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and its phosphorylation(pSTAT3) were measured in hepatogenic HepG2 cells treated with 0, 50,100, 200, and 400ul of rhIFN-α2b for 24 hours. Changes in mRNA expression of STAT3 and correlation analyses were performed. Results Serum hepcidin levels in the treated group was significantly lower (94.91 ± 16.28) ng/mL compared to the untreated group (107.99±17.06) ng/mL, with the difference being statistically significant (t=4.396, P<0.05). HepG2 cells treated with rhIFN-α2b at doses of 0 μL (control group), 50 μL (group 1), 100 μL (group 2), 200 μL (group 3), and 400 μL (group 4) exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in hepcidin. mRNA expression: (1.00±0.23), (0.67±0.12), (0.28±0.04), (0.25±0.03), and (0.17±0.02), respectively. The differences in hepcidin mRNA expression among all groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Pair comparisons showed that group 4 (400 μL) had significantly lower hepcidin mRNA levels than the control group, group 1, group 2 and group 3. Groups 2 and 3 also had significantly lower levels compared to the control group and group 1. Group 1had significantly lower levels than the control group (P<0.05). STAT3 mRNA expression levels in HepG2 cells for the control group, group 1, group 2, group 3, and group 4 were (0.72±0.11), (0.74±0.12), (0.68±0.09), (0.66±0.06), and (0.66±0.08), respectively, with no statistical differences(P>0.05). The pSTAT3 protein levels for rhIFN-α2b at doses of 50 μL, 100 μL, 200 μL , and 400 μL were (0.76±0.14), (0.65±0.06), (0.57±0.07), and (0.54±0.05), respectively, all lower than the control group. However, there were no significant differences in pSTAT3 protein levels among the treated groups (P>0.05). Conclusion After rhIFN-α2b treatment, the serum hepcidin levels in hepatitis C patients are down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner. This down-regulation may be associated with the inhibition of phosphorylation activation in the STAT3 pathway.

Key words: Recombinant human interferon -α2b, Hepatitis C, Hepcidin, Mechanism