BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection is responsible for a chronic liver inflammation,which may cause end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.Apolipoprotein E(protein:ApoE,gene:APOE),a key player in ...BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection is responsible for a chronic liver inflammation,which may cause end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.Apolipoprotein E(protein:ApoE,gene:APOE),a key player in cholesterol metabolism,is mainly synthesized in the liver and APOE polymorphisms may influence HCV-induced liver damage.AIM To determine whether APOE alleles affect outcomes in HCV-infected patients with liver cirrhosis following orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT).METHODS This was a cohort study in which 179 patients,both genders and aged 34-70 years,were included before or after(up to 10 years follow-up)OLT.Liver injury severity was assessed using different criteria,including METAVIR and models for endstage liver disease.APOE polymorphisms were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS The APOE3 allele was the most common(67.3%).In inflammation severity of biopsies from 89 OLT explants and 2 patients in pre-transplant,the degree of severe inflammation(A3F4,0.0%)was significantly less frequent than in patients with minimal and moderate degree of inflammation(≤A2F4,16.2%)P=0.048,in patients carrying the APOE4 allele when compared to non-APOE4.In addition,a significant difference was also found(≤A2F4,64.4%vs A3F4,0.0%;P=0.043)and(A1F4,57.4%vs A3F4,0.0%;P=0.024)in APOE4 patients when compared to APOE3 carriers.The fibrosis degree of the liver graft in 8 of 91 patients and the lack of the E4 allele was associated with more moderate fibrosis(F2)(P=0.006).CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the E4 allele protects against progression of liver fibrosis and degree of inflammation in HCV-infected patients.展开更多
基金the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development,No.CNPqthe Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel,No.CAPESthe Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico,No.FUNCAP.
文摘BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus(HCV)infection is responsible for a chronic liver inflammation,which may cause end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.Apolipoprotein E(protein:ApoE,gene:APOE),a key player in cholesterol metabolism,is mainly synthesized in the liver and APOE polymorphisms may influence HCV-induced liver damage.AIM To determine whether APOE alleles affect outcomes in HCV-infected patients with liver cirrhosis following orthotopic liver transplantation(OLT).METHODS This was a cohort study in which 179 patients,both genders and aged 34-70 years,were included before or after(up to 10 years follow-up)OLT.Liver injury severity was assessed using different criteria,including METAVIR and models for endstage liver disease.APOE polymorphisms were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS The APOE3 allele was the most common(67.3%).In inflammation severity of biopsies from 89 OLT explants and 2 patients in pre-transplant,the degree of severe inflammation(A3F4,0.0%)was significantly less frequent than in patients with minimal and moderate degree of inflammation(≤A2F4,16.2%)P=0.048,in patients carrying the APOE4 allele when compared to non-APOE4.In addition,a significant difference was also found(≤A2F4,64.4%vs A3F4,0.0%;P=0.043)and(A1F4,57.4%vs A3F4,0.0%;P=0.024)in APOE4 patients when compared to APOE3 carriers.The fibrosis degree of the liver graft in 8 of 91 patients and the lack of the E4 allele was associated with more moderate fibrosis(F2)(P=0.006).CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the E4 allele protects against progression of liver fibrosis and degree of inflammation in HCV-infected patients.
