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Optimized Analysis of In Vivo and In Vitro Hepatic Steatosis
Published on: March 11, 2017
Adiponectin and its receptors in chronic hepatitis B patients with steatosis in china
Di Wu1, Hongqi Li, Guoan Xiang
1Department of Ultrasound, Air Force General Hospital of PLA, Beijing, China.
Insights
Adiponectin and its receptor AdipoR2 may play a role in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) with steatosis. Reduced liver expression of these proteins might be important in CHB pathogenesis and progression.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Endocrinology
- Virology
Background:
- Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a global health concern, leading to chronic hepatitis B (CHB), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
- Hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and inflammation are common complications in CHB patients.
- Adiponectin, an adipokine, and its receptors are implicated in metabolic and inflammatory processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between adiponectin, its receptors (specifically adipoR2), and hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and inflammation in patients with chronic hepatitis B.
- To compare these associations in HBV patients with and without steatosis, and with healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Liver biopsies from 89 untreated CHB patients (34 with steatosis, 55 without) and 50 healthy controls were analyzed.
- Histological examination and immunohistochemical staining for adiponectin and adipoR2 were performed.
- Demographic, biochemical, metabolic, histological, and viral characteristics were assessed.
Main Results:
- Patients with steatosis had higher BMI, liver enzymes, fasting plasma glucose, insulin levels, and insulin resistance (HOMA index).
- HBV viral load and HBeAg positivity were higher in patients with steatosis.
- High serum adiponectin correlated with abnormal ALT levels and HBV genotype C; adiponectin and adipoR2 were associated with steatosis, but not directly with viral factors.
Conclusions:
- Adiponectin's role may be impaired in CHB patients with hepatic steatosis.
- Reduced hepatic expression of adiponectin and adipoR2 could be pathologically relevant in CHB with steatosis.
- These findings suggest reduced liver adiponectin expression is important in the pathogenesis and progression of CHB with steatosis, independent of viral measures.
Background:
HBV infection is a serious public health problem worldwide, which can contribute to the incidence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Objectives:
In the present report, we assessed the association between adiponectin, its receptors and hepatic steatosis, fibrosis, and inflammation with hepatitis B virus.
Patients And Methods:
Liver biopsies from 89 patients with untreated chronic hepatitis B (34 steatosis vs. 55 without steatosis) were analyzed; liver biopsies from 50 healthy adults were used as control. The liver biopsies were subjected to routine histological examination, and stained immunohistochemically for adiponectin and adiponectin receptor2 (adipoR2).
Results:
The two groups were found to be comparable with respect to demographic, biochemical, metabolic, histological, and viral characteristics. BMI, γ-GT, FPG, insulin, and insulin sensitivity estimated by the HOMA index were significantly higher in patients with steatosis. The viral load of HBV and HBeAg positivity was higher in patients with steatosis than those without steatosis. High serum adiponectin levels were significantly correlated with abnormal serum ALT level (vs. normal ALT, P = 0.000), and HBV genotype C (vs. genotype B, P = 0.018). In patients with chronic HBV, the insulin sensitizing adipokine adiponectin, and its receptor AdipoR2were associated with steatosis. While adiponectin may becorrelated with inflammation, adiponectin, and its receptors were not associated with viral factors.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that the role of adiponectin might be impaired in chronic hepatitis B with steatosis. Reduced hepatic expression of adiponectin and adipoR2 might be of pathophysiological relevance in CHB patients with steatosis. These findings indicated that reduced liver adiponectin expression may play an important role in the pathogenesis, and progression of CHB patients with steatosis. However, hepatic expression of adiponectin, and adipoR2 was not associated with various measures of HBV infection.
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