Serum IL-10 and TGF-β Levels in HPV Infection and HPV-Associated Cervical Cancer: A Case–Control Study
Abstract
Cervical cancer remains a major global health burden, with persistent infection by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) being the principal etiological factor in cervical carcinogenesis. Immune evasion plays a critical role in HPV persistence and disease progression, particularly through the dysregulation of immunoregulatory cytokines such as interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). This case–control study aimed to evaluate serum IL-10 and TGF-β levels in HPV-infected women and patients with HPV-associated cervical cancer compared with healthy controls.
A total of 120 women aged 20–60 years were enrolled and divided into three age-matched groups: healthy controls (n = 40), HPV-infected women without cervical cancer (n = 40), and patients with HPV-associated cervical cancer (n = 40). Serum concentrations of IL-10 and TGF-β were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, and differences among groups were assessed using one-way analysis of variance followed by post-hoc comparisons, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Serum IL-10 levels showed a significant progressive increase across the study groups, rising from 3.00 ± 0.18 pg/mL in healthy controls to 9.10 ± 0.31 pg/mL in HPV-infected women and 24.70 ± 0.75 pg/mL in cervical cancer patients. Similarly, serum TGF-β levels were significantly elevated in HPV-infected women compared with controls and reached the highest levels in cervical cancer patients, with mean concentrations of 31.36 ± 8.50, 58.66 ± 12.52, and 103.35 ± 18.33 pg/mL, respectively. These findings indicate a stepwise shift toward an immunosuppressive cytokine profile during HPV infection and malignant transformation.
In conclusion, elevated serum IL-10 and TGF-β levels may reflect immune dysregulation associated with HPV persistence and cervical cancer progression. These cytokines may serve as supportive immunological indicators for understanding HPV-associated immune evasion and cervical carcinogenesis; however, further studies incorporating HPV genotyping, viral load assessment, tumor staging, and tissue-based immune profiling are recommended to confirm their predictive and mechanistic significance.
How to Cite This Article
Hassan Akeel M Al-Mulla, Kais Khudhair AL Hadrawi (2026). Serum IL-10 and TGF-β Levels in HPV Infection and HPV-Associated Cervical Cancer: A Case–Control Study . International Journal of Biological and Biomedical Research (IJBBMR), 2(4), 11-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/IJBBR.2026.2.4.11-17