Diagnostic significance of seven serum indices for hepatic fibrosis

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of serum matrix metalloproteinase-1(MMP-1),tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-1(TIMP-1) , transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1), hyaluronic acid(HA), type Ⅲ procollagen ( PⅢP), Ⅳ collagen (CⅣ) and laminin(LN) in the diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis. Methods Serum samples from 20 cases of acute hepatitis,40 cases of chronic hepatitis,40 cases of liver chirrosis,30 cases of hepatocyte carcinoma and 25 healthy blood donors were assayed for serum levels of MMP-1 ,TIMP-1 ,TGF-β1 with ELISA and for serum levels of HA, PⅢP, CⅣ, LN with RIA. Results Compared with the healthy controls the serum levels of TGF-β1, HA, PⅢP, CⅣ, LN of the patients with liver disease were significantly higher. The serum levels of TIMP-1 of the patients with chronic liver disease were obviously higher than that of healthy controls. No significant changes of surum MMP-1 could be found in patients with liver disease. Conclusions There is altered balance between MMP-1 and TIMP-1 in patients with chronic liver disease,which may be the important season for the accumulation of extracellular matrix in the livers of these patients. Serum TIMP-1, TGF-β1, HA, PⅢP, CⅣand LN are more efficient to screen hepatitis fibroses but the diagnostic value of serum MMP-1 for hepatic fibrosis is not good. Key words: Hepatic fibrosis;  Metalloproteinases;  Transforming growth factor β1;  Hyaluronic acid