High level of IL ‐27 positively correlated with Th17 cells may indicate liver injury in patients infected with HBV

Background Interleukin‐6/IL‐12 family cytokines play a key role in inflammatory diseases via their effects on the differentiation or regulation of T helper cells. Aims The aim of this study was to determine the role of interleukin‐27 ( IL ‐27) and its association with helper T cells in hepatitis B virus ( HBV )‐infected patients. Methods Samples were assessed from 51 HBV ‐infected patients [28 chronic hepatitis B ( CHB ) subjects and 23 acute‐on‐chronic liver failure ( ACLF ) subjects] and 18 normal controls ( NC ). Serum IL ‐27 levels were examined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Circulating helper T cells were determined using flow cytometry and associations between IL ‐27 expression and helper T cells were analysed. Results Serum IL ‐27 levels rose in HBV ‐infected patients (502.88 ± 23.35 pg/ml) compared to ( NC , 277.14 ± 23.96 pg/ml, P  < 0.0001). Furthermore, it significantly increased in patients with ACLF (587.90 ± 33.08 pg/ml) when compared with CHB (433.04 ± 26.57 pg/ml, P  = 0.001). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between IL ‐27 and the presence of HBeAg . High levels of IL ‐27 then positively correlated with Tbil levels ( r  = 0.401, P  = 0.004), but negatively associated with prothrombin time activity levels ( r  = −0.496, P  < 0.001), and a slightly negative correlation trend with HBV ‐ DNA loads ( r  = −0.228, P  = 0.107) existed in these HBV ‐infected subjects. Additionally, frequency of circulating interleukin‐17‐producing CD 4 + T cells (Th17 cells) increased in HBV ‐infected patients ( ACLF , mean, 5.39%; CHB , median, 3.12%) as compared to NC subjects (median, 2.22%, P  < 0.0001). Moreover, correlation analysis showed that serum IL ‐27 level was positively associated with circulating Th17 cells ( r  = 0.342, P  = 0.036). Conclusion These results provided evidence that IL ‐27 was positively correlated with Th17 cells commitment, and may exerted a proinflammatory effect in the development of liver injury in HBV ‐infected patients.