Abstract

LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-17 AND VITAMIN D AND THEIR CORRELATION IN VIRAL HEPATITIS PATIENTS

Ammar Hamza Abbas*, Dr. Mayada Noori Iqbal and Dr. Leith Abdul Hussein Abdullah

Abstract

Background: The interleukin 17 is usually linked to tissue damage in autoimmune disorders and bacterial and fungal infections. In both chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Virus infections, some reports show a close relationship between activation of Th17 lymphocytes and the extent of hepatic damage instigated by the antiviral immune response. Vitamin D deficiency has been often described in persons with chronic liver diseases. The strong Immunomodulatory effects of Calcitriol (active form of vitamin D) in vitro, suggested a possible therapeutic benefit in chronic hepatitis B infection and chronic hepatitis C cases. Aims: to investigate the sera levels of Interleukin-17 and Vitamin D3 (as Calcitriol) in viral hepatitis patients and determine the relationships between these biomarkers. Methods: Blood samples were taken from 70 chronic viral hepatitis patients and 35 healthy controls. The patients group consisted of 34 chronic HBV cases and 36 chronic HCV cases. All samples were quantified for (interleukin-17 and calcitriol) by sandwich Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Non-parametric statistical tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Mann–Whitney test) were used by employing SPSS statistical software. Results: Results revealed that the mean of interleukin-17 sera of patients was (64.74ng/L) while it was (90.9ng/L) in controls with significant difference at (P

Keywords: interleukin-17, HBV, HCV, Vitamin D3, calcitriol, viral hepatitis.