Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore the changes of serum IL-12 （IL-12） and IL-18 levels as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cell（PBMCs） forkhead/winged helix transcription factor （FOXp3） in patients with chronic hepatitis B（CHB）. Methods 78 patients with CHB and 25 healthy persons were recruited in our hospital,and all patients received liver biopsies. Serum IL-12 and IL-18 levels were detected by ELISA,and Foxp3 mRNA from PBMCs were assayed by RT-PCR. Results Out of the 78 patients with CHB,21 cases were found with G1,24 cases in G2,19 cases in G3 and 14 cases in G4 by histopathological examination;serum ALT and AST levels in patients with CHB were（278.3±89.4） U/L and（305.3±84.6） U/L,significantly higher than [（25.3±7.6） U/L and （20.3±6.5） U/L,P<0.05] in healthy control;serum level of ALT and AST in G4 group were （563.5±132.4） U/L and （513.3±102.5） U/L,significantly higher than [（113.2±67.4） U/L and （73.5±25.3） U/L in G1 group] or [（153.6 ±45.3） U/L and （113.8 ±35.2） U/L in G2 group] or [（240.5±56.6） U/L and（156.7±51.2） U/L in G3 group,P<0.05];serum IL-12 and IL-18 as well as PBMC Foxp3 in patients with CHB were （198.3±19.6） pg/ml,（408.6±91.2） pg/ml and（4.5±0.7）,significantly higher than[（64.5±10.9） pg/ml,（127.3±15.7） pg/ml and（3.3±0.4）,P<0.05] in healthy individuals;serum IL-12,IL-18 and Foxp3 mRNA in G4 group were （237.5±23.6） pg/ml,（431.5±106.3） pg/ml and（5.1±0.3）,significantly higher than [（146.3±15.2） pg/ml],（390.2±90.3） pg/ml and （3.3±0.4）] in G1,[（185.2±13.6） pg/ml,（403.6±93.2） pg/ml and （3.9±0.5）] in G2 group,or [（203.2±18.3） pg/ml,（414.3±105.4） pg/ml and （4.3±0.7） P<0.05] in G3 group. Conclusion IL-12 and IL-18 might be involved in the pathogenesis of CHB,and early detection of IL-12,IL-18 and Foxp3 gene could be beneficial to predict the progress of the disease.

Key words: Chronic hepatitis B, Interleukin-12, Interleukin-18, Forkhead/winged helix transcription factor