Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2 and fibroblast growth factor 21 in alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis

Abstract

BACKGROUND The importance of early diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease underscores the need to seek better and especially non-invasive diagnostic procedures. Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2 (LECT2) has been widely studied to determine its usefulness in monitoring the course of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease but not for alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC). AIM To determine the concentration of LECT2 in the blood serum of patients in relation to progressive stages of ALC, its relation to fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) and FGF-21, and to examine the possible wider use of LECT2 in diagnosing ALC. METHODS A retrospective case-control study was conducted with 69 ALC cases and 17 controls with no ALC. Subjects were recruited from the region of Lublin (eastern Poland). Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed based on clinical features, history of heavy alcohol consumption, laboratory tests, and abdominal ultrasonography. The degree of ALC was evaluated according to Pugh-Child criteria (the Pugh-Child score). Blood was drawn and, after centrifugation, serum was collected for analysis. LECT2, FGF-1, and FGF-21 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. RESULTS The LECT2 Levels in the control group were 18.99 ± 5.36 ng/mL. In the study groups, they declined with the progression of cirrhosis to 11.06 ± 6.47 ng/mL in one group and to 8.06 ± 5.74 ng/mL in the other ( P < 0.0001). Multiple comparison tests confirmed the statistically significant differences in LECT2 Levels between the control group and both test groups ( P = 0.006 and P < 0.0001). FGF-21 Levels were 44.27 ± 64.19 pg/mL in the first test group, 45.4 ± 51.69 pg/mL in the second ( P = 0.008), and 13.52 ± 7.51 pg/mL in the control group. The difference between the control group and the second test group was statistically significant ( P = 0.007). CONCLUSION We suggest that LECT2 may be a non-invasive diagnostic factor for alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis. The usefulness of LECT2 for non-invasive monitoring of alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis was indirectly confirmed by the multiple regression model developed on the basis of our statistical analysis.

Effect of activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis on recurrence of alcoholic acute pancreatitis, and the possible underlying mechanism

“…Taohong Siwu Decoction, a popular TCM formulation used for activating blood circulation and removing blood stasis, has been widely used in clinics. The present study was focused on the influence of Taohong Siwu Decoction on the recurrence of AAP, and its possible mechanism [15]. In the treatment group, serum amylase level was gradually decreased until it returned to normal, and the pancreatic histopathological score and col Ⅰ content were also significantly decreased.…”

The emerging roles of leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2 in immune diseases: From mechanisms to therapeutic potential

“…Another study also found that LECT2 induces the development of NAFLD by mediating the phosphorylation level of STAT-1 and the expression of its downstream genes cluster of differentiation 36 (Cd36), chemokine (C-X-C motif), ligand 10 (Cxcl10), and unc-51-like autophagy-activating kinase 1 (Ulk1) ( 7 ). In addition, LECT2 is also reported as a non-invasive diagnostic factor for alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis ( 9 ).…”

“…LECT2 is also identified as a hepatokine. Hepatocyte-derived LECT2 not only regulates hepatocyte cells in an autocrine mode, but can also be secreted into the bloodstream to act on cells of other tissues in a paracrine way to modulate multiple metabolic homeostasis or disorders such as glucose metabolism, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ( 7 , 8 ), alcohol-induced liver cirrhosis ( 9 ), obesity ( 10 ), diabetes ( 11 , 12 ), and atherosclerosis ( 13 ). LECT2 is also positively correlated with diet-induced weight cycling in mice and humans, suggesting that LECT2 is a sensing hepatokine for nutritional regulation-mediated metabolic homeostasis and functions as an indicator for management of obesity in the clinic ( 14 , 15 ).…”

LECT2: A pleiotropic and promising hepatokine, from bench to bedside

“…Additionally, when acting as a direct biomarker to predict liver fibrosis in patients ( n = 147) with CHB (chronic hepatitis B), LECT2 was superior to the most common noninvasive scoring systems such as APRI (aspartate aminotransferaseto‐platelet ratio index) and FIB‐4 (fibrosis index based on the four factors). However, Sak et al 19 observed that the level of LECT2 in patients with alcohol‐induced liver cirrhosis decreased with the progression of cirrhosis. The concentrations of serum LECT2 decreased to 11.06 ± 6.47 ng/ml in the Pugh‐Child A + B group ( n = 37 p < 0.0001), then dropped to 8.06 ± 5.74 ng/ml in the Pugh‐Child C group ( n = 32 p < 0.0001), compared with the control group (18.99 ± 5.36 ng/ml n = 17).…”

“…Sak et al19 observed that the level of LECT2 in patients with alcoholinduced liver cirrhosis decreased with the progression of cirrhosis.…”