The Degree of TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA Expression in Liver Tissues with its Prognostic Value for the Therapeutic Efficacy of Interferon in Chronic Hepatitis B.
- Author:
Bai Young KIM
;
Hee Jeong AHN
;
Seong Wook OH
;
Oun Mi JEONG
;
Yu Jeong CHOI
;
Jin Hwan KOOK
;
Kyung Chul KIM
;
Sung Pyo HONG
;
Seong Gyu HWANG
;
Pil Won PARK
;
Kyu Sung RIM
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
TGF-p1;
a-SMA;
A-Interferon;
Predicting Indicator;
Chronic hepatitis
- MeSH:
Actins;
Alanine Transaminase;
Biopsy;
DNA;
Fibrosis;
Hepatic Stellate Cells;
Hepatitis;
Hepatitis B e Antigens;
Hepatitis B, Chronic*;
Hepatitis, Chronic*;
Humans;
Inflammation;
Interferon-alpha;
Interferons*;
Liver*;
Transforming Growth Factor beta1*
- From:The Korean Journal of Hepatology
1998;4(4):317-329
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alpha-interferon (IFN) on liver histology as well as on activation of hepatic stellate cell ( HSC) and trans for ming growth fact or beta-1 (TGF beta-1) expression. We had also investigated the clinical usefulness of TGFbeta-1 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) expression in liver tissue for predicting a response to alpha-IFN therapy in chronic hepat it is B. METHODS: We studied the expression of TGFbeta-1 and alpha-SMA in liver biopsys pecimens from 51 chronic hepatitis B pat ients. Using immunohistochemical staining and a semiquant it ative scoring met hod, we also evaluated TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA expression in liver stellate cells before and after alpha-IFN therapy in liver tissue from rebiopsys pecimen of the 12 chronic hepatitis B pat ients. Recombinant IFN alpha-2b (Intron A) in doses of 6 MU/ d was given to patients intramus cularly three times per week for 6 months (total doses , 432 MU). The patients were divided into two groups according to serum alanine aminotransferase levels as well as HBV- DNA and HBeAg s eroconversion stat e. Histological grading and staging scores were according to modified Histological Activity Index (HAI) grading systems of Ishak (1995). RESULTS: The index of portal inflammation and total scores of HAI grading significantly decreased in biopsies after alpha-IFN treatment, but the scores of fibrosis staging showed no significant change in biopsies after IFN treatment. A significant decrease in alpha-SMA expression, especially in periportal area, was found, but the change of TGFbeta-1 expression was not significant. The immunoreactivity of alpha-SMA was significantly lower in responders than in non-responders, whereas the diffference of immunoreactivity of TGF-beta1 between these two groups was not found. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that alpha-IFN therapy may reduce the necroinflammatory activity in liver tissues of chronic B viral hepatitis and that the degree of alpha-SMA expression before treatment may be employed as a pottent predicting indicator for the therapeutic efficacy of IFN-alpha.
