OBJECTIVETo explore the diagnostic values of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) for the patients with acute leukemia (AL).

METHODSA total of 76 cases of AL were enrolled in this study, and the 40 healthy persons were used as control group. The levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results were analyzed.

RESULTSThe levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ in the untreated AL group, ALL and ANLL groups were lower significantly than those in the control group (P<0.05), there was no significant difference between untreated AL and ANLL groups (P>0.05). The levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ in CR patients of AL group after treatment obviously higher than that of patients before treatment (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference as campared with that in control. The levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ in NR patients of AL group after treatment were obviously lower than that in control group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in comparision with patients before treatment (P>0.05). The levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ of AL-CR and AL-NR patients before treatment were not significant difference before treatment (P>0.05). The levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ of AL-CR patients obviously higher than that in AL-NR patients (P<0.05). According to immure classification, the levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ of patients in untreated group were not significant difference. In regard to the clinical risk degree, the level of IL-12 of patients in untreated group was not obvious difference (P>0.05), but the level of IFN-γ of patients in untreated group was obvious different (P<0.05). The level of IL-12 of patients in untreated group positively correlated with level of IFN-γ (r=0.735, P<0.05), but the level of IL-12 did not significantly correlated with the level of IFN-γ (r=0.292, P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe serum levels of both IL-12 and IFN-γ are lower, but the changes of both serum levels may be helpful to diagnose and treatment of AL patients.