Soluble CD14 levels are increased and inversely correlated with the levels of hepatitis B surface antigen in chronic hepatitis B patients

Because it was observed recently that yeast-derived recombinant HBsAg interacts in a lipopolysaccharicle binding protein-dependent manner with CD14 expressed on human monocytes, we investigated whether HBsAg influences the serum levels of sCD14, lipopolysaccharide binding protein and C-reactive protein in hepatitis B patients. Samples from acute and chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C patients were tested. All analytes were measured using commercial assays. HBsAg was quantified using an NIBSC titrated standard. sCD14 levels were higher in chronic hepatitis B and C patients than in healthy controls (P=0.0006 and P<0.0001, respectively). In chronic hepatitis B patients an inverse correlation was found between sCD14 and HBsAg (P=0.0309). Lipopolysaccharide binding protein and C-reactive protein levels were higher in acute hepatitis B patients than in control subjects (P=0.0217 and P=0.0034, respectively). In chronic hepatitis B and C, sCD14 and C-reactive protein levels were higher in cirrhotic than in non-cirrhotic patients (P=0.0072 and P=0.0223, respectively). (C) 2003Wiley-Liss, Inc.