Abstract
Background. YKL-40 association with human disease has been the object of many years of investigation. β-thalassemia patients are affected by hepatic siderosis, which determines a fibrotic process and tissue remodelling. Chitotriosidase has been found to be increased in thalassemic patients returning to normal in patients submitted to bone marrow transplantation. YKL-40 is associated with macrophage activation in liver and in other tissues. The aim of the study was to analyse the level of serum YKL-40 and plasma chitotriosidase activity of patients with beta-thalassemia to assess whether their expression correlates with liver disease and degree of liver siderosis. Methods. Expression of YKL-40 and chitotriosidase as a marker of inflammation in 69 thalassemic patients were evaluated. We sought to investigate whether these two chitinases could be considered as a significant biomarker to evaluate therapy effectiveness. Results. Surprisingly we found normal value of YKL-40. We, also, analysed chitotriosidase activity in the same patients that was slightly increased as a consequence of macrophage activation. Conclusions. These data would suggest a good treatment for these patients.
Highlights
The glycosyl hydrolase family 18 of chitinases is an ancient gene family widely expressed from prokaryotes to eukaryotes
YKL-40 is expressed by macrophage cells during late stage of differentiation [3], by tumor-associated macrophages [4], by infiltrating macrophages in various inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis [5], and by macrophage and giant cells in arteritis vessel [6]
Since YKL-40 is associated with macrophage activation in liver and in other tissues, the aim of this study was to analyse the levels of YKL-40 and chitotriosidase activity in plasma of patients with betathalassemia to assess whether their expression correlates with liver disease and degree of liver siderosis
Summary
The glycosyl hydrolase family 18 of chitinases is an ancient gene family widely expressed from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Β-thalassemia patients are affected by hepatic siderosis, which determines a fibrotic process and tissue remodelling. Chitotriosidase has been found to be increased in thalassemic patients returning to normal in patients submitted to bone marrow transplantation. YKL-40 is associated with macrophage activation in liver and in other tissues. The aim of the study was to analyse the level of serum YKL-40 and plasma chitotriosidase activity of patients with beta-thalassemia to assess whether their expression correlates with liver disease and degree of liver siderosis. Expression of YKL-40 and chitotriosidase as a marker of inflammation in 69 thalassemic patients were evaluated. Analysed chitotriosidase activity in the same patients that was slightly increased as a consequence of macrophage activation. These data would suggest a good treatment for these patients
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