Effects of interferon-γ and-β in treatment of chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

After pretreatment with interferon (IFN)-γ in order to increase the expression of HLA class I antigens, IFN-β was administered to 16 patients with chronic hepatitis B for the purpose of evaluating efficacy of IFN-γ plus IFN-β treatment. The patients were divided into two groups. Group I patients ( n = 6) received IFN-γ at a dosage of 0.5 ∼ 2.0 M JRU/day for 8 weeks. Group II patients ( n = 10) received IFN-γ at the same dosage and then, after a 4 ∼ 8 week interval, received IFN-β 3 ∼ 6 MU/day for 7 weeks. Serum β 2 MG levels increased more during the IFN-γ administration period than in the IFN-β period, while the increases of serum 2–5 AS activity and the decrease of DNA-P were observed more markedly during the IFN-β period. Increases in ALT level, which is considered to reflect the enhanced immune response level, were observed 4 ∼ 8 weeks after completing IFN-γ administration. After completion of each regimen, two of the six group I patients and four of the ten group II patients were evaluated as responders; one in group I, and two in group II were transient responders; and three in group I, and four in group II were non-responders. In the responders, pretreatment IgM HBc Ab levels were significantly lower than those of non-responders, and they increased more during IFN administration as compared to non-responders ( P < 0.05). Seven of eight patients (one in group I, and seven in group II), who were non-responders to previous IFN therapy, became responders in this IFN-γ plus IFN-β treatment. Results suggest that IFN-γ alone is lacking in effectiveness for treatment of chronic hepatitis B, whereas the combination of IFN-γ and subsequent IFN-β administration can improve the clinical outcome of intractable chronic hepatitis B.