[Effect of interleukin-6 and interleukin-12 on immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in infants of HBsAg-positive mothers].

Objective: To explore the effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Interleukin-12 (IL-12) on immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in infants of HBsAg-positive mothers. Methods: A total of 91 neonates whose mothers were HBsAg-positive were included and followed up for 12 months. HBV DNA and HBV serological markers in the peripheral blood of the neonates and infants were detected with fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) and chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), and the levels of IL-6 and IL-12 in the peripheral blood of the neonates and infants were detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The non-/hypo-response rate to hepatitis B vaccination was 35.16 % (32/91) in the 91 infants. In the neonatal period and infantile period, the level of IL-6 in non-/hypo-response group was lower than that in high-response group, while the level of IL-12 was higher than that in high-response group, and there was significant difference ( P <0.01). From the neonatal period to the infantile period, the level of IL-6 increased, while the level of IL-12 descended in both groups, and there was significant difference ( P <0.01). Furthermore, the level of anti-HBs of infants was positively correlated with the level of IL-6 ( r(s) =0.70, 0.79, P <0.01), and was negatively correlated with the level of IL-12 ( r(s) =-0.71, -0.72, P <0.01) in the neonatal period and the infantile period. From the neonatal period to the infantile period, the increased level of IL-6 was positively associated with the level of anti-HBs ( r(s) = -0.74, P <0.01), while the decreased level of IL-12 was negatively associated with the level of anti-HBs ( r(s) =-0.42, P <0.01). The level of IL-6 was negatively correlated with the level of IL-12 in the neonatal period and the infantile period ( r(s) =-0.68, -0.70, P <0.01). Conclusions: IL-6 might promote the immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in infants whose mothers were HBsAg-positive, while IL-12 might inhibit the immune response. IL-6 and IL-12 would affect the immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in infants of HBsAg-positive mothers at the same time.