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Prognostic Value of Serum Exosomal AHCY Expression in Hepatitis B-Induced Liver Cirrhosis

Ling Tong1, Cuilin Yan1, Minjie Wang1

  • 1Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Frontiers in Medicine
|November 25, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Serum exosomal adenosylhomocysteinase (AHCY) is significantly elevated in hepatitis B-induced liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC) patients. Higher AHCY levels correlate with poorer prognosis and mortality, indicating its potential as a novel prognostic biomarker.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology and Gastroenterology
  • Biomarker Discovery
  • Molecular Diagnostics

Background:

  • Liver cirrhosis is a major complication of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
  • Accurate prognostic biomarkers are crucial for managing HBV-induced liver cirrhosis (HBV-LC).
  • Exosomes and their cargo, such as proteins, are emerging as potential diagnostic and prognostic indicators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate serum exosomal adenosylhomocysteinase (AHCY) expression in HBV-LC patients.
  • To evaluate the prognostic value of serum exosomal AHCY in predicting mortality in HBV-LC.

Main Methods:

  • Serum samples were collected from 100 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and 114 HBV-LC patients.
  • Serum exosomal AHCY expression was quantified using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).
  • Correlation with MELD score, survival analysis, and ROC curve analysis were performed.

Main Results:

  • Serum exosomal AHCY levels were significantly higher in HBV-LC patients compared to CHB patients and early-stage HBV-LC.
  • AHCY expression showed a strong positive correlation with the MELD score (r=0.844, P<0.001).
  • High exosomal AHCY expression was associated with significantly shorter survival and demonstrated superior mortality prediction (AUC=0.921) compared to MELD and Child-Pugh scores.

Conclusions:

  • Serum exosomal AHCY is a novel and promising prognostic biomarker for HBV-LC.
  • AHCY levels can aid in predicting mortality and guiding clinical management of HBV-LC patients.
  • Further validation of serum exosomal AHCY as a prognostic tool is warranted.

Keywords:
adenosylhomocysteinase (AHCY)chronic hepatitis B (CHB)exosomeshepatitis B-related cirrhosis (HBV-LC)prognosis predictor

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