Correlation between platelet derived growth factor-AA concentration in serum and liver damage in hepatitis C virus infection

Virus hepatitisa C (HCV) je RNA-virus iz porodice Flaviviridae i jedan je od vodećih uzroka pobola i smrti u svijetu. Kronična infekcija virusom HCV povezana je s nastankom fibroze jetre, ciroze te hepatocelularnog karcinoma. Faktori rasta trombocita (PDGF) reguliraju proliferaciju, migraciju, preživljavanje, kemotaksiju stanica i angiogenezu. Homodimer faktora rasta PDGF-AA važan je regulator uloge fibroblasta u zacjeljivanju rana. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je odrediti koncentraciju faktora rasta PDGF-AA u serumu osoba zaraženih virusom HCV i zdravih kontrola te usporediti koncentraciju ovog faktora rasta u osoba s različitim stupnjevima tvrdoće jetre (LMS) i fibroze. Analizirana je povezanost između koncentracije faktora rasta PDGF-AA i stupnja fibroze, koncentracije jetrenih enzima, lipida i proteina u serumu te kinetike virusne replikacije. Za kvantifikaciju faktora rasta PDGF-AA korišten je enzimski imunotest, a za kvantifikaciju RNA virusa HCV korištena je kvantitativna lančana reakcija polimerazom u stvarnom vremenu. Rezultati ovog istraživanja pokazali su statistički značajnu razliku u koncentraciji faktora rasta PDGF-AA u zdravih osoba i osoba s infekcijom virusom HCV te značajnu korelaciju između koncentracije faktora rasta PDGF-AA i triglicerida, albumina te kolesterola LDL. Dokazana je pozitivna korelacija između LMS i vrijednosti enzima jetre AST, ALT, GGT i bilirubina, a negativna korelacija između LMS i koncentracije kolesterola, albumina i kolesterola LDL. Rezultati ovog istraživanja ukazuju na moguću važnost faktora rasta PDGF-AA u patogenezi kroničnog hepatitisa C.Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an RNA-virus belonging to Flaviviridae family and is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity in the world. Chronic hepatitis C infection is related to the occurence of liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Platelet derived growth factors (PDGF) regulate cell proliferation, migration, survival, chemotaxis and angiogenesis. Homodimer PDGF-AA is an important regulator of fibroblasts during wound healing. The aim of this study was to determine concentrations of PDGF-AA in serum of patients with HCV infection and healthy controls and to compare concentrations of PDGF-AA with the difference in levels of liver stiffness (LMS) and fibrosis. Connection between PDGF-AA concentration and fibrosis stage, concentration of liver enzymes, lipids and proteins in the serum as well as viral replication kinetics has been analyzed. Enzyme immunotest was used for the quantification of PDGF-AA while quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify HCV RNA. The results of this research showed a statistically significant difference in the concentration of PDGF-AA in healthy people and people infected with HCV and significant correlation between the concentration of PDGF-AA and triglycerides, albumins and LDLs. Positive correlation was found between LMS and serum levels of AST, ALT, GGT and bilirubin and negative correlation was found between LMS and serum levels of cholesterol, albumin and LDL. The resuts of this research show a possible part PDGF-AA might play in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis C