title: Serum concentrations of extracellular fatty acid synthase in patients with steatohepatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is an enzyme synthesized by the liver and plays an important role in lipogenesis. The present study aimed to assess whether serum FASN concentrations are altered in patients with chronic liver disease, and to investigate whether its measurement may be a useful tool in the clinical evaluation of this derangement.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated 93 patients with chronic liver disease (14 minimal change disease, 79 steatohepatitis) and 100 control subjects. Serum FASN concentrations were measured using ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients had a significant increase in serum FASN concentration (p<0.001), which was specifically associated with the hepatic Knodell sub-index III of portal inflammation (p=0.019). In addition, serum FASN concentrations were significantly correlated with the circulating levels of the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) (Spearman rho=0.375; p<0.001) and type III procollagen-N-peptide (P-III-P) (Spearman rho=0.297; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum FASN concentrations are increased in patients with chronic liver impairment, and are associated with specific histological alterations and biochemical markers of portal inflammation. These data suggest that FASN measurement may contribute significantly to the evaluation of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan, Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain.
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marsillach
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oliveras-Ferraros
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beltrán
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rull
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aragonès
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alonso-Villaverde
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Martín
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Joven
authors.forename: Javier A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Camps
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000097:blood*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011347:Procollagen; C041876:procollagen Type III-N-terminal peptide; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases