Detection of plasma IL-12 p40 level in infants with cytomegalovirus hepatitis and its significance

Objective To understand the changes of IL-12 p40 level in plasma in infants with cytomegalovirus (CMV) hepatitis and its significance. Methods The level of IL-12 p40 was detected by using double antibody ELISA for the healthy infants as control (n=36) and the infants with CMV hepatitis (n=52) before and after treatment of ganciclovir. ALT activity in plasma and HCMV DNA in urinary of cytomegalovirus hepatitis infants were also detected. Results The IL-12 p40 level of the infants with CMV hepatitis (M=536.5,P5=123.5,P95=1061.1) was lower than that of the healthy infants (M=632.2,P5=226.7,P95=1829.3),and significant difference existed between two groups (Z=-2.721,P0.01). The level of IL-12 p40 of the infants with CMV hepatitis was negatively correlated with ALT activity(U/I)in plasma and HCMV DNA(copies/ml,lg)in urinary (r=-0.433、-0.491,P0.01). Among the infants with CMV hepatitis who were sensitive to the treatment, the level of IL-12 p40 increased after treatment significantly (Z=-5.004,P0.01),but there was no significant increase among the infants with CMV hepatitis who were resistant to the treatment (Z=-1.449,P0.05). Conclusion The level of IL-12 p40 of the infants with CMV hepatitis was lower than that of the healthy infants,the change might reflect the load of HCMV DNA and the severity of liver damage for infants with CMV hepatitis,and could be used to predict the effect of ganciclovir intervention.