白细胞介素18与慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染相关性

Association of interleukin 18 with pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B virus infection

IL-18是一种新型IFN-γ诱生因子,不仅能触发NK细胞及Th1细胞产生IFN-γ,而且能促使Th1细胞,NK细胞增殖和发挥细胞毒活性.作为调节Th1和Th2细胞因子的重要因子,IL-18、IL-18受体（IL-18R）及IL-18结合蛋白（IL-18BP）是目前研究慢性乙型肝炎发病机制最受关注的细胞因子之一,在机体免疫网络调节中具有重要作用.此文对IL-18的分子特征及信号转导途径,IL-18的抗病毒机制与HBV感染的关系等研究进行了综述.

IL-18 is a new type of IFN-γ inducible factor. It can not only trigger NK cells and Th1 cells to produce IFN-γ, but also promotes the proliferation of Th1 cells and NK cells and the activity of cytotoxinic function. As the impo rtant factors of regulating Th1 and Th2＇s cytokines, IL-18, IL-18 receptor （IL-18R） and IL-18 binding protein （IL-18BP） have currently been proved by experiments that they have strong relations with the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B. So they play significant roles in regulating the immune net of HBV infected patients. In the article, the researeb of IL-18 character and its signal transduction, the antiviral mechenisms and the association with HBV infection are reviwed.