The role of chemerin and vaspin in Egyptian patients with viral hepatitis C

Abstract

IntroductionNoninvasive markers of fibrosis developed as an alternative to the staging of fibrosis by means of liver biopsy which is invasive, painful and with limitations in diagnostic use and accuracy. Adipokine profile appears to assume a unique role in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Chemerin and vaspin are adipokines with the potential to regulate the inflammatory response.The aim of this study is to evaluate and determine the role of serum levels of some adipokines as chemerin and vaspin as useful markers in prognosis and monitoring fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C among Egyptian patients. Subjects and methodsNinety individuals; with ages ranged between 19 and 60; were included in this retrospective study and divided into two groups; group I: twenty healthy control group and group II: seventy patients with chronic viral hepatitis C. Chronic viral hepatitis C patients were classified into five sub groups according to their stages of fibrosis; group I: included 14 patients without fibrosis: F0, group II: included 14 patients with portal fibrosis stage: F1, group III: included 14 patients with periportal fibrosis stage: F2, group IV: included 14 patients with abundant bridging fibrosis stage: F3, group V: included 14 patients with cirrhosis stage: F4. Chemerin and Vaspin levels were evaluated in all the subjects' sera by Enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ResultsThe serum chemerin level in CHC patients was significantly increased as compared with controls. Also, there was a positive correlation between the chemerin level and the stage of fibrosis. As the stage of fibrosis increases, the serum chemerin level increases. Serum vaspin decreased in CHC patients compared to controls and was positively correlated with fibrosis stage. Serum vaspin levels were significantly higher in patients with periportal fibrosis (F2), abundant bridging fibrosis (F3) and cirrhosis (F4) compared to portal fibrosis (F1) or without fibrosis (F0). ConclusionThis study investigated and demonstrated that there is correlation between serum chemerin and vaspin levels and stages of fibrosis compared to controls, where the serum chemerin level increases in chronic hepatitis C patients compared to controls and increases with progression of stage of fibrosis. Whereas the serum vaspin level decreases in chronic hepatitis C patients compared to controls and increases with progression of stage of fibrosis to become near the serum levels in controls.