[Serum level of HMGB1 in patients with hepatitis B and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether there is a possible role of pro-inflammatory cytokine high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) causing liver failure in severe hepatitis B patients.


METHODS
Serum HMGB1 levels of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with different clinical conditions were measured and the correlations between HMGB1 and TBil or PTA were analyzed. (1) 54 chronic hepatitis B patients in different clinical conditions were enrolled in our study. Their serum TBil and PTA levels were detected by routine methods. (2) Their serum HMGB1 levels were also detected. 100 KD super-filtration columns were used to get rid of large proteins in the serum and 10 KD columns were used to condense the protein. Western blot was used to determine HMGB1 levels, and correlations between HMGB1 and TBil or PTA were analyzed.


RESULTS
The detection rates of serum HMGB1 were 100% (23/23), 90% (9/10), and 55% (6/11) in 23 patients with hepatic failure, 10 patients with chronic severe hepatitis B, and 11 patients with chronic moderate hepatitis B respectively. The concentration of serum HMGB1 levels in these three groups was (83.4+/-21.3), (78.1+/-19.5) and (60.3+/-14.3) microg/L respectively. Serum HMGB1 was not detected in normal healthy controls and hardly detected in convalescent and mild hepatitis patients. There were positive correlations between HMGB1 and TBil and negative correlations between HMGB1 and PTA.


CONCLUSIONS
HMGB1 levels in serum were closely associated with disease severity in chronic hepatitis B patients. HMGB1 may play a key role in the pathogenesis of chronic severe hepatitis B and liver failure.
Liu
Hong-Bo
HB
Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Fan
Xue-Gong
XG
Huang
Jian-Jun
JJ
Li
Ning
N
Peng
Jian-Ping
JP
Li
Sha-Ling
SL
Wang
Haichao
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000097:blood*; D048550:Hepatic Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
D024243:HMGB1 Protein