ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical significance of the level changes of interferon(IFN)-λ3 in different clinical stages of hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection, and its relationship with tenofovir(TDF) and entecavir(ETV) treatment.

MethodsThe serum levels of IFN-λ3 of 174 HBV-infected patients and 20 HBsAg negative healthy examiners were detected using ELISA, and the clinical indexes of liver function, total bilirubin(TBIL), albumin(ALB) and other related indexes were collected.The distribution trend of IFN-λ3 levels in hepatitis B patients at different clinical stages were observed.The changes of serum levels of IFN-λ3 after regular administration of current first-line antiviral drugs(TDF and ETV), and the relationship between IFN-λ3 and disease progression, different antiviral drugs were analyzed.

ResultsThe levels of IFN-λ3 in the control group, chronic hepatitis B group, liver cirrhosis group and hepatocellular carcinoma group decreased successively(P<0.01).Among patients treated with antiviral drugs, the differences of the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, HBsAg, TBIL, and LogHBV-DNA between before and after ETV or TDF treatment were statistically significant(P<0.01), the difference of the level of IFN-λ3 in patients between before and after ETV treatment was not statistically significant(P>0.05), and the difference of the level of IFN-λ3 in patients between before and after TDF treatment was statistically significant(P<0.01).The serum level of IFN-λ3 was positively correlated with the levels of HBsAg and HBV-DNA in chronic hepatitis B and cirrhosis patients, but not related to the liver function, TBIL, ALB and other clinical indicators.

ConclusionsIFN-λ3 is associated with the progression of hepatitis B virus activity, and not with liver function itself.TDF has the additional pharmacological effects of inducing the increase of serum IFN-λ3 level, and the high level of IFN-λ3 can enhance the clearance of HBV by IFN-α.