Visfatin and TGF-Β1 in primary biliary cirrhosis and two other common liver diseases

The aim of this study is to investigate plasma concentration of visfatin and transforming growth factor Β1 (TGF-Β1) in three groups of patients: primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and toxic cirrhosis (TC). We qualified the patients into the study and assigned them to the appropriate group according to clinical examination, laboratory tests and ultrasound imaging technic (US). We showed that plasma concentrations of visfatin in PBC, NAFLD and TC group were respectively 1.41 ± 1.76 ng/mL, 1.22 ± 1.08 ng/mL and 0.70 ± 1.22 ng/mL. Plasma concentration of visfatin was significantly lower in TC group than in others both (p ± 0.017). The differences of visfatin concentration between NAFLD and TC group were not statistically significant. The values of TGF-Β1 in PBC, NAFLD and TC group were respectively 21031 ± 7822 pg/mL, 21588 ± 12639 pg/mL, and 9678 ± 4757 pg/mL. The statistical analysis showed that the value of cirrhotic group was significantly (p ±0.017) lower compared to both others groups. The difference between PBC and NAFLD was insignificant.

Despite the PBC and NAFLD are the diseases of different pathogenesis and origin, plasma concentration of visfatin and TGF-Β1 were similar in these both groups but significantly lower in TC probably due to decreased activity as well as number of cells producing these cytokines in the cirrhotic liver.