Association between HBsAg clearance and serum level of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor in inactive HBsAg carriers receiving pegylated interferon alpha-2a

Objective To investigate the association between HBs Ag clearance and serum level of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor ( GM-CSF) in inactive HBs Ag carriers receiving pegylated interferon ( PEG-IFN) alpha-2 a. Methods A total of 20 inactive HBs Ag carriers who visited Beijing You An Hospital, Capital Medical University, from January 2013 to January 2016 were enrolled, and after 24 weeks of PEG-IFN alpha-2 a treatment, 13 achieved HBs Ag clearance ( R group) and 7 did not achieve HBs Ag clearance ( NR group) . The Luminex technique was used to measure the serum level of GM-CSF at baseline and at weeks 12 and 24 of treatment. The serum level of GM-CSF was also measured for 11 healthy controls ( HC group) . The t-test or an analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the Bonferroni test was used for further comparison between two groups. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. Results The R and NR groups had a significantly higher serum GM-CSF level than the HC group ( 42. 63 ±11. 24 pg/ml and 46. 77 ± 10. 52 pg/ml vs 11. 97 ± 3. 85 pg/ml) , and there was a significant difference between the three groups ( F = 4. 482, P = 0. 02) . At weeks 12 and 24 of PEG-IFNα-2 a treatment, the R group had a significantly higher serum GM-CSF level than the NR group ( t = 22. 422 and 17. 782, both P < 0. 05) . In the R group, the serum GM-CSF level was 42. 63 ± 11. 25 pg/ml at baseline, significantly increased to 83. 31 ± 14. 20 pg/ml at week 12 of treatment, and then significantly decreased to 32. 34 ± 8. 06 pg/ml at week 24 of treatment ( F =7. 655, P =0. 002) . In the NR group, the serum GM-CSF level was 46. 77 ± 10. 52 pg/ml at baseline and significantly decreased to25. 90 ± 7. 06 pg/ml at week 12 of treatment and 9. 43 ± 2. 45 pg/ml at week 24 of treatment ( F = 5. 264, P = 0. 016) . Conclusion In inactive HBs Ag carriers receiving PEG-IFN alpha-2 a treatment, the increase in serum GM-CSF level may indicate HBs Ag clearance.