Role of Interleukin-8 and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background: The rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in Egypt where the major risk factor is chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The development of effective markers for the detection of HCC could have an impact on cancer mortality and significant public health implications worldwide. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of interleukin-8, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), oxidative stress markers, and some trace elements in Egyptian patients with hepatocellular carcinoma infected with hepatitis C virus. Methods: This study comprised 40 patients with HCC (20 with cirrhosis and 20 without cirrhosis) and 20 patients with hepatitis C virus. They were 39 males and 21 females with ages ranging from 22 to 71 years. Twenty apparently healthy volunteers with matched age and sex were taken as control group. Serum concentration levels of IL-8 and AFP were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antioxidants were measured using spectrophotometric analysis and trace elements by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results: A highly significant elevation was found in interleukin-8, alpha- fetoprotein, iron, and malondialdehyde in patients with HCC compared to control subjects. On the other hand, serum levels of reduced glutathione, catalase, superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and zinc were significantly decreased in patients with HCC compared to control subjects. A positive correlation was found between serum level of IL-8 and each of GSH (r = -0.534 and p = 0.000), SOD (r = -0.295 and p = 0.021), CAT (r = -0.545 and p = 0.000), and Zn (r = 0.422 and p = 0.001) in all patient groups. Conclusions: The ability to measure IL-8 in serum could be useful as a marker of HCC in patients. The levels of antioxidants such as CAT, SOD, and GSH in HCC patients when compared to control groups play a vital and important role in the prevention of liver cancer. Interleukin-8, some antioxidants (MDA, GSH, CAT and SOD), and some trace elements (Fe and Zn) might be simultaneously evaluated in order to enhance the detection of HCC.