The human cathelicidin LL37 peptide has high plasma levels in B and C hepatitis related to viral activity but not to 25-hydroxyvitamin D plasma level.

UNLABELLED: The serum level of the human cathelicidin-LL37, an immunomodulatory vitamin D-induced peptide was less studied in viral hepatitis. The aim of this study was to analyse the cathelicidin-LL37 and vitamin D serum level in hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and their correlations. METHODS: A total of 52 patients with HBV and HCV hepatitis and 22 controls were selected. ELISA method was used to detect the cahelicidin-LL37 (LL37 human Elisa Hycult Biotech) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (IDS 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D EIA Immunodiagnostic Systems Ltd) serum level. The positive viral load (obtained following RT-PCR) defined active forms of hepatitis whereas a negative viral load indicated inactive hepatitis. Cathelicidin-LL37 and vitamin D were analysed in each group of hepatitis versus controls and each active hepatitis group versus inactive hepatitis group. RESULTS: Increased LL37 plasma levels were noted in HCV hepatitis versus controls (p = 0.046), HBV hepatitis versus controls (p = 0.087), active versus inactive HCV hepatitis (p = 0.014) and inactive versus active HBV hepatitis (p = 0.009). Vitamin D deficiency (< 31.80 +/- 8.74 nmol/L) was detected in all the subjects. The Pearson correlation between the vitamin D status and LL37 level was weak. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma concentrations of cathelicidin-LL37 were significantly higher in active HCV and inactive HBV infection suggesting the LL37 implication in certain HCV and HBV hepatitis forms. Vitamin D deficiency was uniformly observed in all forms of hepatitis but with no significant correlation to the LL37 level.