| Summary: | Objective To investigate the expression levels of interleukin 25 (IL-25) and its related factors in the serum and liver of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and explore the significance. Methods Between September 2017 and February 2019, NAFLD patients (n=50) who met the criteria of the disease and control patients (n=20) who undergoing partial hepatectomy due to hepatic hemangioma or hepatic cyst in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of IL-25 and other cytokines were detected by ELISA. Then 6 patients in control group and 12 patients in NAFLD group were chosen to analyze hepatic mRNA expression levels of IL-25 and other cytokines by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, and protein levels of IL-25, CD68 (macrophage marker), CD206 (M2 macrophage marker) and glutaminase transaminase 2 (TGM2) by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence assay. Results ① Compared with the patients in control group, those of the NAFLD group had significantly reduced serum levels of IL-25 (P=0.003), IL-13 (P=0.007) and IL-4 (P=0.001). ② The mRNA levels of IL-13 (P=0.007) and IL-4 (P=0.003) in the liver of NAFLD patients were also obviously lower while that of CD68 (P < 0.001) was higher than those in the control group. ③ The NAFLD patients had more Küpffer cells (P < 0.001), fewer M2 macrophages (P < 0.001) and lower level of IL-25 (P < 0.001) in the liver than the patietns of the control group. With the aggravation of hepatic steatosis, the number of Küpffer cells was increased gradually (P < 0.001), while that of M2 macrophages (P < 0.001) and the level of IL-25 (P < 0.001) was decreased gradually. Conclusion The serum levels and liver contents of IL-25, Th2 type cytokine and intrahepatic M2 type macrophages are significantly reduced in the NAFLD patients, and these indicators are negatively correlated with the severity of liver steatosis.
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