Cytokines – their pathogenic and therapeutic role in chronic viral hepatitis

ABSTRACT

Cytokines make up a network of molecules involved in the regulationof immune response and organ functional homeostasis. Cytokinescoordinate both physiological and pathological processesoccurring in the liver during viral infection, including infection control,inflammation, regeneration, and fibrosis. Hepatitis B and hepatitisC viruses interfere with the complex cytokine networkbrought about by the immune system and liver cells in order to preventan effective immune response, capable of viral control. This situationleads to intrahepatic sequestration of nonspecific inflammatoryinfiltrates that release proinflammatory cytokines, which in turnfavor chronic inflammation and fibrosis. The therapeutical administrationof cytokines such as interferon alpha may result in viral clearanceduring persistent infection, and revert this process(AU)