Fig. 5.

Semiquantitative evaluation for the expression of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and IL-23 p19 in interlobular bile ducts including damaged bile ducts. The scores for IL-6 were 0·02 ± 0·02 (mean ± standard error of the mean) and 1·5 ± 0·28 in chronic viral hepatitis C (CVH-C) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), respectively; those for IL-1β were 0·48 ± 0·10 and 1·34 ± 0·12; and those for IL-23 p19 were 2·2 ± 0·2 and 2·6 ± 0·08, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed the expression of IL-6 and IL-1β to be significantly up-regulated in PBC, compared with CVH-C (P < 0·05).