The Significance of Serum IL-10 Levels in Diagnosing Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection

Authors

  • aghad Obead AbdulAl-Abass Microbiology Department , Collage of Veterinary Medicine, AL-Qasim Green University, Babylon 51013, Iraq

Keywords:

Interleukin-10, hepatitis B, AUC, Sensitivity, Specificity

Abstract

Background: One of the most immunological affecters that play a major role in th pathogenesis hepatitis B is cytokine secretion and, a member of these anti-inflammatory cytokines with amazing characteristic is interleukin-10 (IL-10). Objective: The main objective of the current study is to investigate IL-10 levels in clients with hepatitis B infections. Methods: A case–control approach was adopted, comprising 62 individuals with laboratory-confirmed hepatitis B infection and 58 apparently healthy participants serving as controls. Serum IL-10 levels were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Group differences were examined through independent samples t-tests, while variations associated with different infection sites were assessed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Additionally, the diagnostic performance of IL-10 was assessed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to measure its accuracy in distinguishing infected from non-infected subjects. Results: Patients had significantly elevated IL-10 levels (18.8 ± 32 pg/ml) compared to controls (15.9 ± 3.9 pg/ml, p < 0.04). Analysis of serum IL-10 levels across vaccination status indicated that concentrations were higher in patients non-vaccinated against hepatitis B infections (19.2 ± 3.2 pg/ml), compared with those vaccinated (13.5 ± 2.8 pg/ml). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.78, with an optimal diagnostic threshold determined at 16 pg/ml, yielding a sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 73%. These findings reveals that IL-10 levels are markedly elevated in individuals affected by hepatitis B, supporting its potential role as a reliable biomarker.

References

Dimitriadis, K., Bampa, A., & Rizos, S. (2023). The role of interleukins in HBV infection: A narrative review. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 13(12), 1675. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13121675

Jia, Y., Jiao, X., Shi, W., Luo, Y., Xiang, H., Liang, J., Yin, Y., Li, S., Zhang, Q., Gao, Y. (2024). Expression of 10 circulating cytokines/chemokines in HBV-related liver disease. Infectious Agents and Cancer, 19(1), Article 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13027-024-00580-9

Kramvis, A., Chang, K.-M., Dandri, M., Farci, P., Glebe, D., Hu, J., Janssen, H. L. A., Lau, D. T. Y., Penicaud, C., Pollicino, T., Testoni, B., Van Bömmel, F., Andrisani, O., Beumont-Mauviel, M., Block, T. M., Chan, H. L. Y., Cloherty, G. A., Delaney, W. E., Geretti, A. M., Gehring, A., Jackson, K., Lenz, O., Maini, M. K., Miller, V., Protzer, U., Yang, J. C., Yuen, M.-F., Zoulim, F., & Revill, P. A. (2022). A roadmap for serum biomarkers for hepatitis B virus: Current status and future outlook. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 19(11), 727-745. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-022-00649-z

Liu, L., Xiao, N., Chen, P., & Zhu, X. (2023). IL-10 predicts the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B: Evidence from acute-on-chronic liver failure cohorts. Frontiers in Medicine, 10, 1188300. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2023.1188300

Liu, Z., Liu, Y., Deng, Z., Li, H., Zhao, J., & Chen, Y. (2024). Advances in biomarkers for hepatitis B virus infection: From serology to immunology. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 30(12), 1531-1545.

Manea, M., Olariu, R., Popescu, R., & Antohe, S. (2024). Interleukins in chronic hepatitis B: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Viral Hepatitis, 31(4), 445-458.

Rybicka, M., Durda, M., Popowski, P., Pawłowska, J., & Micek, A. (2020). Genetic variation in IL-10 influences the progression and treatment response in hepatitis B. International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 98, 1-7.

Wang, J., Liu, H., Chen, G., Zhang, L., Li, B., Zhou, F., & Zhao, P. (2023). Cytokine signatures in chronic hepatitis B: Implications for disease phase classification. Frontiers in Immunology, 14, Article 1123456.

Xiao, L., Wu, Z., Fan, J., Han, Y., Yu, L., & Zhou, W. (2024). Cytokine profiles and virological markers highlight host immune changes in stages of chronic HBV infection. Virology Journal, 21(1), 55.

Zhang, Q., Liu, X., Chen, M., Wang, Y., & Yang, C. (2022). Change of cytokines in chronic hepatitis B patients and implications for HBV RNA and treatment guidance. Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology, 10(5), 859-868. https://doi.org/10.14218/JCTH.2022.00116

Zhong, S., Li, Y., Huang, Y., He, R., & Tang, J. (2021). Cytokines and chemokines in HBV infection. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, 8, 805625.

Downloads

Published

2025-09-30