Objective To investigate the changes in serum levels of interferon( IFN)- γ- inducible protein 10( IP- 10),monokine induced by IFN- γ( Mig),and chemokine regulated upon activation,normal T cell expressed and secreted( RANTES) in patients with HBe Ag- positive chronic hepatitis B( CHB) undergoing pegylated interferon( PEG- IFN) therapy,and to explore their predictive values for the efficacy of PEG- IFN therapy. Methods Fifty- three patients with HBe Ag- positive CHB who received PEG- IFN α- 2b therapy in our hospital from February 2012 to December 2013 were enrolled as subjects. Forty- six out of the fifty- three patients were followed up for 24 weeks after 48 weeks of treatment. According to the incidence of sustained virological response( SVR),these patients were divided into A group( SVR,n = 17) and B group( NO SVR,n = 29). Serum levels of IP- 10,Mig,RANTES,hepatitis B virus( HBV) DNA,HBs Ag,and alanine aminotransferase( ALT) in peripheral venous blood were measured at baseline,after 12,24,and 48 weeks of treatment,and at 24 weeks after treatment. Comparison of continuous data between two groups and within the groups was made by t test and paired t test,respectively. Correlation was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Between- group comparison of categorical data was made by χ2test. Results Compared with the B group,the A group had significantly higher baseline serum levels of IP- 10 and Mig and a significantly lower level of HBs Ag( t = 2. 696,P < 0. 05; t = 2. 963,P < 0. 05; t = 2. 401,P < 0. 05). The baseline levels of IP- 10 and Mig were positively correlated with the baseline level of ALT( r = 0. 570,P < 0. 05; r = 0. 317,P < 0. 05). Compared with the baseline levels,patients had significantly reduced serum levels of HBV DNA,HBs Ag,ALT,and Mig after 12 weeks of treatment( t = 2. 126,P <0. 05; t = 2. 217,P < 0. 05; t = 2. 376,P < 0. 05; t = 2. 776,P < 0. 05) and 24 weeks of treatment( t = 2. 635,P < 0. 05; t = 2. 453,P <0. 05; t = 2. 627,P < 0. 05; t = 2. 803,P < 0. 05). There were significant differences in levels of IP- 10 and Mig between the SVR group and non- SVR group before and after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment( all P < 0. 05). In the A group,the levels of Mig after 12 and 24 weeks of treatment were significantly lower than the baseline level( t = 3. 061,P < 0. 01; t = 3. 105,P < 0. 01). In the B group,the serum level of Mig after 24 weeks of treatment was significantly lower than the baseline level( t = 2. 632,P < 0. 01). The baseline serum levels of IP-10,Mig,and HBs Ag had predictive values for SVR( all P < 0. 05). In the 46 patients,the incidence of SVR in patients with baseline levels of Mig higher than 80 pg / ml( 12 /20) was significantly higher than that in patients with baseline levels of Mig lower than 80 pg / ml( 5 /26)( 60. 0% vs 19. 2%,χ2= 8. 06,P < 0. 01); the incidence of SVR in patients with baseline levels of IP- 10 higher than 120 pg / ml( 12 /25) was significantly higher than that in patients with baseline levels of IP- 10 lower than 120 pg/ml( 5 /21)( 48. 0% vs 23. 8%,χ2= 3. 86,P < 0. 05). Conclusion The baseline serum levels of IP- 10 and Mig are both predictors of the incidence of SVR in patients with HBe Ag- positive CHB undergoing PEG- IFN therapy,and Mig provides superior prediction.
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