Tumor necrosis factor α production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic liver disease

Abstract

We investigated the production of tumor necrosis factor α by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic liver disease and its association with hepatitis activity. Tumor necrosis factor α production was measured with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Tumor necrosis factor α production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with recombinant γ‐interferon of patients with chronic active hepatitis (5.8 ± 4.0 units per ml, p < 0.05) and patients with cirrhosis (4.1 ± 2.1 units per ml, p < 0.05) was significantly increased when compared with controls (2.5 ± 1.6 units per ml). Tumor necrosis factor α production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with a combination of recombinant γ‐interferon and recombinant interleukin 2 of patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (5.8 ± 3.8 units per ml, p < 0.05), patients with chronic active hepatitis (8.9 ± 3.0 units per ml, p < 0.001) and patients with cirrhosis (6.7 ± 3.2 units per ml, p < 0.05) was significantly increased in comparison with controls (3.3 ± 1.8 units per ml). Tumor necrosis factor α production of patients with chronic active hepatitis was significantly higher than that of patients with chronic persistent hepatitis ( p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation (r = 0.5699, p < 0.005) between tumor necrosis factor α production and histologic activity index in patients with chronic persistent hepatitis or chronic active hepatitis. These findings show that tumor necrosis factor α production is increased in chronic liver disease and that the increased tumor necrosis factor α production is related to hepatitis activity.