The human cathelicidin LL37 peptide has high plasma levels in B and C hepatitis related to viral activity but not to 25-hydroxyvitamin D plasma level.

UNLABELLED The serum level of the human cathelicidin-LL37, an immunomodulatory vitamin D-induced peptide was less studied in viral hepatitis. The aim of this study was to analyse the cathelicidin-LL37 and vitamin D serum level in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and their correlations. METHODS A total of 52 patients with HBV and HCV hepatitis and 22 controls were selected. ELISA method was used to detect the cahelicidin-LL37 (LL37 human Elisa Hycult Biotech) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (IDS 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D EIA Immunodiagnostic Systems Ltd) serum level. The positive viral load (obtained following RT-PCR) defined active forms of hepatitis whereas a negative viral load indicated inactive hepatitis. Cathelicidin-LL37 and vitamin D were analysed in each group of hepatitis versus controls and each active hepatitis group versus inactive hepatitis group. RESULTS Increased LL37 plasma levels were noted in HCV hepatitis versus controls (p = 0.046), HBV hepatitis versus controls (p = 0.087), active versus inactive HCV hepatitis (p = 0.014) and inactive versus active HBV hepatitis (p = 0.009). Vitamin D deficiency (< 31.80 +/- 8.74 nmol/L) was detected in all the subjects. The Pearson correlation between the vitamin D status and LL37 level was weak. CONCLUSIONS Plasma concentrations of cathelicidin-LL37 were significantly higher in active HCV and inactive HBV infection suggesting the LL37 implication in certain HCV and HBV hepatitis forms. Vitamin D deficiency was uniformly observed in all forms of hepatitis but with no significant correlation to the LL37 level.