Role of relevant immune-modulators and cytokines in hepatocellular carcinoma and premalignant hepatic lesions

Table 3 Levels of the studied cytokines among different studied groups

	Normal	Chronic hepatitis	Cirrhosis	HCC	P value
IL-2	22.13 ± 2.21A1	16.28 ± 2.12B	11.36 ± 0.95C	10.24 ± 0.64C	< 0.001
IL-10	74.8 1 ± 1.34A	98.46 ± 4.01AB	104.11 ± 9.35B	132.1 ± 14.26C	< 0.01
IL-12	0.06 ± 0.01A	0.09 ± 0.01A	0.15 ± 0.06A	0.08 ± 0.01A	0.393
IL-1β	3.46 ± 0.15A	6.48 ± 0.58A	6.71 ± 2.39A	21.38 ± 4.88B	< 0.001
IFN-α	31.20 ± 0.67A	32.28 ± 1.44A	21.31 ± 1.01B	18.49 ± 1.37B	< 0.001
IFN-γ	20.47 ± 0.49A	29.75 ± 0.68B	17.51 ± 1.18C	10.46 ± 0.56D	< 0.001
TNF-αR2	6.03 ± 0.07A	13.25 ± 1.73A	10.09 ± 0.97A	47.42 ± 6.74B	< 0.001

Data are presented as mean ± SEM. ¹Groups having the same letters in the same variable are statistically insignificant. HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; IFN: Interferon; IL: Interleukin; TNF: Tumor necrosis factor.