Serum Levels of IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, and TGF-β in Chronic HBV-Infected Patients: Effect of Depression and Anxiety

Objective: To assess the effects of depression and anxiety on serum cytokine levels in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 60 healthy control individuals and 60 patients with CHB participated after filling out standard questionnaires. We examined their serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and TGF-beta levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques. Results: In patients with CHB compared with healthy controls, serum levels of IL-8 were significantly increased, whereas IL-6 and TGF-beta levels were significantly decreased. Serum levels of TGF-beta were significantly decreased in the patients with CHB who had mild depression, compared with patients with CHB without depression and with moderate and severe depression. Conclusions: Downregulation of IL-8 and TGF-beta, respectively, is a corresponding mechanism for induction of chronic inflammation in patients with CHB. Depression also seems to induce inflammation via downregulation of TGF-beta in these patients.