title: Diagnostic validity of hepatocyte growth factor as marker for rejection in the follow-up of patients after heart transplantation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a member of growth factor with a variety of known activities, including angiogenesis promotion and antiapoptotic action. It prevents acute graft-versus-host disease after bone marrow transplantation and prolongs allogenic graft survival in rats. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between serum HGF concentration and the grade of acute cellular rejection of heart transplant.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 68 male heart recipients. All of them received triple-drug immunosuppression: cyclosporine A, prednisone, and azathioprine or mycofenolate mofetil. All patients were without signs of heart failure. Blood samples were taken before elective ambulatory endomyocardial biopsy. Biopsy specimens were graded with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation scale. Acute cellular rejection grade 3A and higher were considered as significant. Measurement of serum HGF was made by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a positive relationship between serum HGF levels and grade of cellular rejection. As an indicator for the detection of cell rejection processes, HGF with cutoff 2000 pg/ml seems to be useful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study demonstrate that HGF can be useful as an indicator for heart graft cell rejection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical University of Silesia, Zabrze, Poland. kkorcz@slam.katowice.pl
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zwirska-Korczala
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zakliczyński
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berdowska
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zembala
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jochem
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gajewska
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001706:Biopsy; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000473:pathology*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D019798:Neopterin / Q000097:blood; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019798:Neopterin; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine; D011241:Prednisone