Expression of tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and caspase-3 in relation to grade of inflammation and stage of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether the distribution of the recently described proapoptotic ligand, tumour necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), and the apoptosis effector, caspase-3 alters with the degree of inflammation and fibrosis present in liver biopsy specimens from patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.


RESULTS
Expression of TRAIL and caspase-3 was assessed immunohistochemically in liver biopsy specimens obtained from 89 adults with chronic hepatitis C. Expression of TRAIL in hepatocytes correlated inversely with stage of fibrosis (P = 0.001), classified according to the Scheuer score; expression of caspase-3 in hepatocytes correlated with grade of inflammation (P = 0.012). Expression of TRAIL in hepatocytes was not correlated with grade of inflammation (P > 0.05); expression of caspase-3 was not correlated with stage of fibrosis (P > 0.05). Maximum expression of proapoptotic TRAIL protein was observed in cases with low grade inflammation (G0) and low stage fibrosis (S1). Maximum expression of caspase-3 in hepatocytes was observed in cases with high grade inflammation (G3-4) and high stage fibrosis (S3), but not with liver cirrhosis (S4).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a significant decrease in TRAIL expression with increasing grade of inflammation, whereas caspase-3 expression is significantly increased with advanced fibrosis, short of cirrhosis.
Piekarska
A
A
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Chair of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland. annapiekar@op.pl
Kubiak
R
R
Omulecka
A
A
Szymczak
W
W
Piekarski
J
J
D017209:Apoptosis; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000378:metabolism*
D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3