The serum interleukin-26 level is a potential biomarker for chronical hepatitis B.

Proinflammatory interleukin-26 (IL-26) is involved in chronic inflammation; however, the role of IL-26 in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains unknown.In this study, serum IL-26 was quantified in a cohort of CHB patients at baseline and during telbivudine (LdT) treatment.Our results showed that the serum IL-26 level was significantly elevated in CHB patients compared with that in healthy controls and was time-dependently decreased during LdT treatment, accompanying hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion and reduced serum levels of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase across baseline and treatment.