Serum haptoglobin type and liver cirrhosis

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Hepatology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Haptoglobin (Hp) is a plasma protein involved in hemoglobin binding.
• Hp phenotypes (Hp 1-1, 1-2, 2-2) are determined by allelic variants.
• Liver cirrhosis is a late stage of hepatic fibrosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate haptoglobin phenotypes in blood donors and patients with liver cirrhosis.
• To determine the association between haptoglobin genotypes and liver dysfunction severity.
• To explore the potential role of haptoglobin gene variants in non-alcoholic cirrhosis etiology.

Main Methods:

• Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was used to determine haptoglobin phenotypes.
• Study included 200 healthy blood donors and 105 patients with liver cirrhosis.
• Hepatitis B antigen status was assessed in blood donors.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in haptoglobin types was observed between hepatitis B antigen-positive and -negative blood donors.
• Cirrhosis patients exhibited an excess of haptoglobin gene 1.
• Patients with haptoglobin gene 1 showed a correlation with severe liver dysfunction.
• Family pedigrees indicated stable haptoglobin phenotypes during the cirrhotic process.

Conclusions:

• Haptoglobin gene 1 is associated with severe liver dysfunction in cirrhosis.
• The haptoglobin 2 gene might confer resistance to non-alcoholic cirrhosis.
• Haptoglobin phenotypes appear stable in the context of liver cirrhosis.