Serum concentrations of interleukin 1beta, CXCL10, and interferon-gamma in mixed cryoglobulinemia associated with hepatitis C infection

OBJECTIVE: Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is a systemic vasculitis of small and medium-size vessels, often associated with the hepatitis C virus. Research has shown an emerging role for chemokines and type 1 cytokines in the pathophysiology of this vasculitis. Interleukin 1 (IL-1) plays a role in initiating the cascade of immunoinflammatory responses, and levels of the interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) inducible chemokine CXCL10 have been shown to be significantly associated with the presence of active vasculitis in patients with MC. We evaluated serum levels of IL-1beta, IFN-gamma, and CXCL10 in a series of patients with hepatitis C-related MC (MC+HCV), and correlated these measurements with clinical disease features.METHODS: Serum IL-1beta, IFN-gamma, and CXCL10 were assayed in 54 patients with MC+HCV, in 54 sex- and age-matched patients with type C chronic hepatitis without cryoglobulinemia (HCV+), and in 54 controls.RESULTS: MC+HCV patients showed significantly higher mean IL-1beta and CXCL10 serum levels than controls (p < 0.01) or HCV+ patients (p < 0.01). CXCL10 was significantly increased in 14 cryoglobulinemic patients with active vasculitis (necrotizing vasculitis or vasculitic skin ulcers) compared to those without (p < 0.001); IL-1beta was increased in cryoglobulinemic patients with active vasculitis (p = 0.06). No differences were observed for serum IFN-gamma levels.CONCLUSION: Serum levels of IL-1beta and CXCL10 were high in patients with MC+HCV. Increased CXCL10 and IL-1beta levels were associated with the presence of active vasculitis in MC+HCV patients.