Objective      To study expressions of CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) and interferon-γ inducing protein-10 (IP 10) in liver tissues of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and to elucidate their correlation with liver inflammation and degree of hepatic fibrosis.       Methods       Sixty CHB patients and twenty healthy volunteers were given liver puncture biopsy. The subjects were classified according to biopsy results of the degree of inflammation (G) and fibrosis staging (S). Inflammation degree that was more than G2 was identified as severe inflammation. Protein expressions of CXCR3 and IP 10 were detected by immunohistochemistry

and their correlation with liver inflammation grade and fibrosis stage was statistically analyzed.       Results       Expre-ssions of CXCR3 (2.55±0.90) and IP 10 (2.73±0.76) in liver tissues of 60 CHB patients were significantly higher than those of the healthy controls (0.70±0.57

0.60±0.50; P0.01). As the degree of liver inflammation and fibrosis aggravated

the levels of CXCR3 and IP 10 increased gradually. In liver fibrosis group

however

significant difference only existed between group S1 and S2 (P0.05). Expressions of CXCR3 and IP 10 were positively correlated with degree of inflammation and fibrosis in CHB (r=0.707

0.788

0.624

0.737

respectively; P0.01). In severe inflammation groups (G3 and G4)

expressions of CXCR3 and IP 10 showed no significant difference among varying degrees of hepatic fibrosis. There was a positive correlation between expression of CXCR3 and IP 10 in liver tissues (r=0.675

P0.01).       Conclusion       CXCR3 and IP 10 play an important role in the course of liver inflammation and fibrosis in CHB patients

but their correlation with degree of liver inflammation is closer.