Implication of increased serum stromal cell-derived factor-1 for primary biliary cholangitis

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Hepatology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), also known as chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12), is a chemokine for premature B cells, T cells, and monocytes found in various organs.
• The diagnostic utility of SDF-1 in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and its association with disease progression remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine serum SDF-1 levels in PBC patients.
• To explore the diagnostic value of SDF-1 for PBC.
• To investigate the association of SDF-1 with inflammatory and fibrotic progression in PBC.

Main Methods:

• Serum SDF-1, IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-17 levels were measured in 60 PBC patients, 32 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and 30 healthy controls (HC) using multiplex immunoassay.
• PBC patients were categorized into four histologic stages based on Scheuer's classification.
• Diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Main Results:

• Serum SDF-1 levels were significantly higher in PBC patients compared to CHB patients and HC (P < 0.001).
• Serum SDF-1 demonstrated good diagnostic performance for PBC, including AMA-positive and AMA-negative subtypes, with 100% sensitivity for AMA-negative PBC at a cutoff of 802.64 pg/mL.
• Serum SDF-1 levels did not correlate with various inflammatory, fibrotic markers, or histological stages but showed a significant positive correlation with IL-17 (r=0.373, P=0.004).

Conclusions:

• Serum SDF-1 is elevated in PBC and may serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker.
• SDF-1 may be involved in Th17 cell recruitment and differentiation in PBC.
• Serum SDF-1 levels are not associated with the progression of PBC based on the studied indicators.