A role of LECT2, IL-8 and IL-18 in chronic viral hepatitis: A histopathological and immunohistochemical examination

Leukocyte-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is one of the cytokines related to hepatic injury. However, knowledge of the role of LECT 2 in chronic viral hepatitis is still incomplete. In this study the behavior of LECT2 in various conditions of chronic viral hepatitis was examined and compared with the appearance of hepatitis-related cytokines including IL-8 and IL-18. Hepatic specimens, 76 for study and 5 as a control, were obtained by needle biopsy. Of the study specimens, 11 were hepatitis B cases and 65 were hepatitis C. All specimens were examined histologically and immunohistochemically using anti-LECT2-antigen, anti-IL-S-atigen and anti-IL-18-antigen as primary antigens. The condition of chronic viral hepatitis including grading (activity) and staging (fibrosis) were histopathologically determined according to the Modified HAI Score. Immunohistopathological examination of IL-8 and IL18 revealed mesenchymal cells including Kupffer cells and endothels; and LECT2 in hepatic cells showed some differences between the expression of cystokines and the phase of viral hepatitis. Though the expression rates increased with the degree of grading, IL-8 and LECT2 also appeared in normal hepatic tissues. In conclusion, immunohistochemical examination of some cytokines such as LECT2, IL-8 and IL-18 is useful to determine the grade of chronic viral hepatitis. In addition, over-expression of LECT2 and IL-18 suggest the process to recovery and of LECT2 suggesting the reserve potentiality of rest hepatic cells in chronic viral hepatitis.