IL-8 is associated with non-viremic state and IFN-γ with biochemical activity in HCV-seropositive blood donors.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore a possible association between the pattern of serum cytokines with the virological and biochemical status of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-seropositive blood donors. METHODS 23 non-viremic and 33 viremic HCV-seropositive blood donors based on HCV-RNA tests, and 29 healthy individuals were included. Cytometric bead array assays were performed to detect cytokines. RESULTS The subjects were classified as low, medium or high cytokine producers based on the tertile distribution. The absence of detectable viremia was associated with high IL-1β and IL-8 producers. Conversely, elevated levels of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 were associated with detectable viremia. An increased frequency of high IL-1β producers was observed frequently in the non-viremic recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA)-indeterminate subjects, while the high IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-12 producers were more frequent in the non-viremic RIBA-positive subjects. Furthermore, the levels of IL-1β and IL-8 were higher in viremic subjects with a low level of alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), whereas the level of IFN-γ was increased among viremic subjects with a high ALT level. CONCLUSION IL-1β and IL-8 were more likely to be associated with a non-viremic or less severe HCV infection, whereas IL-2 and IFN-γ levels correlated with a high ALT level.