Autotaxin: An Early Warning Biomarker for Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure

Abstract

Background and Aims: Recent accumulating evidence indicates the biological actions of autotaxin (ATX) in liver disease. However, the relationship between ATX and liver failure has not been reported. The present study aimed to examine alterations of serum ATX in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and evaluate whether serum ATX could be useful as an early warning biomarker of ACLF. Methods: Serum ATX was measured in 50 patients with hepatitis B-related ACLF, 14 patients with alcohol-related ACLF, 11 patients with hepatitis B-related pre-ACLF, 11 patients with alcohol-related Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, 39 patients with hepatitis B-related Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, 26 patients with chronic hepatitis B, and 38 healthy volunteers by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum ATX level was significantly higher in the pre-ACLF group than in the Child-Pugh A cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis B groups but lower than in the ACLF group; furthermore, patients with pre-ACLF deteriorated to ACLF had significantly higher serum ATX levels than pre-ACLF patients that did not progress to ACLF. Serum ATX levels were significantly higher among male ACLF patients with preclinical infection, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis or pneumonia, as compared to patients with ACLF but no spontaneous bacterial peritonitis or pneumonia. Serum ATX levels were well correlated with serum biochemical parameters of liver function and model for end-stage liver disease score. Serum ATX ≥ 584.1 ng/mL was a poor prognostic factor for ACLF (hazard ratio of 4.750, 95% confidence interval of 1.106-20.392, p =0.036). Conclusions: Serum ATX level may be a useful early warning biomarker for ACLF.

Plasma Concentrations of Lysophosphatidic Acid and Autotaxin in Abstinent Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder and Comorbid Liver Disease

“…In this regard, accessory digestive organ diseases are common in patients with AUD and have been associated with cognitive dysfunction, mainly in a range of liver diseases. Moreover, several clinical studies have suggested a potential role for ATX as a biomarker of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and steatohepatitis (NASH) [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”

Inhibition of autotaxin alleviates pathological features of hepatic encephalopathy at the level of gut–liver–brain axis: an experimental and bioinformatic study

“…The significant upregulation of the ATX-LPA signaling axis has been detected in humans with different liver diseases [ 4 , 5 , 16 ]. The increased serum level of ATX is induced by a lower capacity of the liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, which causes deterioration of liver function by producing cytokines and recruiting inflammatory cells [ 17 ].…”

Lysophosphatidic acid and itsreceptors: Role in bronchial asthma pathogenesis

“…На сегодняшний день достаточно данных, подтверждающих, что ось АТХ-LPA вовлечена в процессы инициирования и метастазирования рака, развитие атеросклероза, ожирения, артрита, глаукомы, острой и хронической печёночной недостаточности, фиброза печени, почек и лёгких и многих других заболеваний и патологических состояний [21,23,44,54,55]. Некоторые исследователи продолжают поддерживать и развивать идею о том, что данная ось играет важную роль в развитии воспаления дыхательных путей [21], в частности при БА [5,45] Можно предположить, что АТХ является относительно безопасной терапевтической мишенью, однако на сегодняшний день сведений о его безопасности для человека недостаточно [45].…”