Correlation Between IL-21 And Familial Agrregation Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Guangxi

OBTECTIVE To investigate the relationship between serum level of cytokine-21(interleukin,IL-21)and familial aggregation of hepatocelluar carcinoma(HCC)in Guangxi,China.METHODS With the living environment,gender,nationality,HBV carrying status and agee�5 years as the matching condition,110 pairs of the carcinoma-free members from HCC high incidence families and those from carcinoma-free families were selected in the high incidence area of liver cancer in Guangxi.Members of both groups can be divided into 61 males and 49 females by gender,18 Yao members and 92 Zhuang members by nationality,30 people with HbsAg(+)and 80 people with HbsAg(-)by HBsAg expression.In addition,the members of the HCC family group were divided into 44 first-degree relatives,35 second-degree relatives,31 third-degree and above relatives according to the relative coefficient of the proband.The serum level of IL-21 was detected by the method of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay(ELISA).RESULTS(l)The levels of IL-21 were(826.109�161.125)pg/mL in HCC family group and(825.095 �146.412)pg/mL in carcinoma-free family group,which was no statistical differences between the two groups(t=-0.049,P=0.961).(2)The levels of serum IL-21 in Yao,Zhuang,male,female,HBsAg(+)and HBsAg(-)members of the HCC family group were not significantly statistical different from those in carcinoma-free family group(P>0.05).(3)There were significant differences in the levels of IL-21 between HBsAg(+)and HBsAg(-)in the HCC family group(P=0.045).(4)There was no significant statistical difference of the serum IL-21 expression levels among the members of HCC family group in different affinity factors(P>0.05).CONCLUSION(1)There was no significant correlation between the expression of IL-21 and familial aggregation of hepatocellular carcinoma in Guangxi.(2)The expression of IL-21 may not be significantly associated with the genetic mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma.(3)The expression of IL-21 may be related to the status of HBV infection.