PurposeTo establish sensitive and reliable serum marker on liver fibrosis for early clinical diagnosis. MethodsSerum hyaluronate acid,type Ⅲ procollagen and type Ⅳ procogen of 48 patients with viral hepatitis were analyzed by radioimmunoassay and ELISA respectively. ResultsThe serum HA, PCⅢ and PCⅣ level increased gradually with the progress of the disease. Their levels were correlated distinctly with the index of hepatic activity of inflammation and that of fibrosis.ConclusionsThe value of serum HA,PCⅢ and PCⅣ in predicting liver fibrosis will be enhanced ff the effect of inflammation could be excluded.

Background: CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing (CMTM) superfamily is involved in the occurrence and development of inflammation, cancer and a variety of diseases.Human CMTM3 has been proposed as a putative tumor suppressor gene.Aims: To investigate the expression of CMTM3 in Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection-related chronic gastritis and its significance.Methods: Sixty cases of outpatients with chronic gastritis (30 Hp-positive and 30 Hp-negative) were enrolled for detection of CMTM3 and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expressions in gastric mucosa by immunohistochemistry.The correlation of expressions of CMTM3 and IL-6 was analyzed.Results: The positivity rates of CMTM3 and IL-6 in gastric mucosa were significantly higher in Hp-positive chronic gastritis than in Hp-negative ones (CMTM3: 63.3% vs.30.0%, P<0.05;IL-6: 73.3% vs.13.3%, P<0.01).In patients with Hp-positive chronic gastritis, CMTM3 and IL-6 were co-expressed in 53.3% (16/30) of the patients and localized in the same position.Expression of CMTM3 was positively correlated with IL-6 expression in Hp-positive chronic gastritis patients (r=0.58, P<0.05).Conclusions: CMTM3 is highly expressed in chronic gastritis patients with Hp infection.It may participate in the occurrence and development of Hp infection-related chronic gastritis with inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6.Hp infection might be one of the mechanisms involved in CMTM3 up-regulation.