Clinical Significances of Serum Soluble Fas and Soluble Fas Ligand in Chronic Hepatitis B.
- Author:
Eun Jung JUN
1
;
Joon Yeol HAN
;
Hee Sik SUN
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. jyhan@catholic.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract
- Keywords:
Hepatitis B, chronic;
Histological activity;
Serum soluble Fas;
Serum soluble Fas ligand
- MeSH:
Adult;
Antigens, CD95/analysis/*blood;
Fas Ligand Protein/analysis/*blood;
Female;
Hepatitis B virus/isolation & purification;
Hepatitis B, Chronic/*diagnosis;
Humans;
Male;
Middle Aged
- From:The Korean Journal of Hepatology
2006;12(4):507-514
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Apoptosis via Fas/FasL system is thought to be involved in the development of hepatocyte death in viral hepatitis B. In chronic hepatitis C, sFas/sFasL system was reported to control liver injury induced by Fas/FasL mediated apoptosis. To determine the role of sFas/sFasL system in chronic hepatitis B, we analyzed serum sFas/sFasL in 58 HBV patients and 29 healthy controls. METHODS: HBV patients were categorized into two groups; normal ALT (< or =40 IU/L) and elevated ALT (>40 IU/L). Serum sFas/sFasL levels in HBV patients were measured by ELISA and was compared with those in 29 healthy controls. Serum ALT levels, histological activity, and Fas/FasL expression of liver were compared. RESULTS: Chronic hepatitis B patients with elevated ALT had significantly higher serum sFas levels than those in healthy controls (P<0.01). Serum sFasL levels, however, were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (P<0.01). Patients with moderate to marked degree of inflammation and fibrosis had significantly higher serum sFas levels than those in healthy controls (P<0.05). Serum sFasL levels had no correlation with the hepatic histological activity. Serum sFas/sFasL levels also had no significant correlation with the Fas/FasL expression of liver. CONCLUSIONS: Serum sFas/sFasL levels play a possible role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B. These results suggest that serum sFas levels might serve as a marker for estimating the degree of hepatic histological activity.
