Background & Aims
This report describes the use of a novel sensitive and specific ELISA for the measurement
of human fibrinogen-like protein 2 (FGL2/fibroleukin), a novel effector of natural
regulatory T (Treg) cells, to predict the course of chronic hepatitis C viral infection
(HCV).
Methods
Plasma levels of FGL2 were measured in HCV patients and compared to healthy controls
and to patients with alcoholic liver disease.
Results
FGL2 levels were significantly higher in HCV patients (84.3 ± 89.1 ng/ml, n = 80) compared to healthy controls (36.4 ± 21.9 ng/ml, n = 30, p<0.001), to a subset of patients who cleared HCV following anti-viral treatment (16.6 ± 19.7 ng/ml, n = 32, p<0.001), and to patients with inactive alcoholic liver disease (18.8 ± 17.4 ng/ml, n = 24, p<0.001). Among HCV patients, plasma levels of FGL2 correlated significantly with the
stage of fibrosis (p= 0.001) and were significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis (164.1 + 121.8 ng/ml, n = 60) compared to non-cirrhotics (57.7 ± 52.8 ng/ml, n = 20, p= 0.001). Genotype 1 patients had significantly higher levels of FGL2 (98.1 ± 100.3 ng/ml, n = 60) compared to patients with genotype 2/3 (41.5 ± 38.6 ng/ml, n = 20, p= 0.0008). Patients with genotype 2/3 had FGL2 levels similar to healthy controls (41.5 ± 38.6 vs. 36.41 ± 21.9 ng/ml, p= ns). Infiltrating lymphocytes in liver biopsies of HCV patients were positive for
either FGL2 or FoxP3 (a marker of Treg cells) or expressed both markers.
Conclusions
This report documents the development of a sensitive ELISA for measurement of plasma
levels of FGL2 an effector Treg cells, which correlates with the severity of HCV infection.
Abbreviations:
DC (dendritic cells), FGL2 (fibrinogen-like protein 2), HBV (hepatitis B virus), HCV (hepatitis C virus), MHV-3 (murine hepatitis virus strain 3), SVR (sustained virological response), Treg (CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells)Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 24, 2010
Accepted:
April 12,
2010
Received in revised form:
April 8,
2010
Received:
September 23,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
