Relationship between serum level of TGF-β1 and hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B

Objective To study the relationship between serum level of TGF-β1 and hepatic fibrosis parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Methods Serum TGF-β1 and hyalauronic acid(HA), laminin (LN), type Ⅳ collagen(Ⅳ-C) and type Ⅲ procollagen (PC Ⅲ) were detected by ELISA in 38 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Ten healthy persons served as controls. Liver puncture was performed in all patients with CHB. Results Serum TGF-β1 levels in moderate, severe CHB ［(202±78)mg/L,(401±63)mg/L］ were much higher than those of the control group ［(75±34)mg/L,P＜0.01］ and increased successively. TGF-β1 was correlated positively with serum levels of HA,LN,Ⅳ-C and PC Ⅲ (P＜0.01). Serum TGF-β1, PCⅢ, LN, Ⅳ-C and HA increased successively (P＜0.01) with aggravation of hepatic fibrosis. Conclusions Serum TGF-β1 levels of patients with CHB are consistent with serum indexes of hepatic fibrosis. It can help to judge the degree of hepatic tissue fibrosis. Key words: Transforming growth factor-β1 ;  Hepatic fibrosis ;  Chronic hepatitis B ;  Extracellular matrix ;