title: Increased serum xylosyltransferase activity in patients with liver fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the xylosyltransferase (XT) activity in the serum of liver fibrotic patients with hepatitis C virus induced liver fibrosis at different stages as determined according to the scoring system of Desmet and Scheuer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurement of XT activity was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that serum XT activity in males (n=59, median+/-SD, 27.2+/-2.8 mU/L, p<0.001) and females (n=54, 23.6+/-3.0 mU/L, p<0.01) with liver fibrosis is significantly elevated in comparison to a corresponding healthy control cohort of males (n=50, 23.9+/-2.8 mU/L) and females (n=52, 21.5+/-3.7 mU/L), respectively. Of note, independent from gender, serum XT activity positively correlated with the stage of fibrosis but declined again in patients with histologically proven cirrhosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  XT activity is increased in the serum of patients with liver fibrosis at different stages, pointing to a possible pathogenetic role in elevated proteoglycan biosynthesis in fibrotic remodeling of this organ during chronic injury.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Laboratoriums- und Transfusionsmedizin, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen, Universitätsklinik der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Georgstrasse 11, 32545 Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. jkuhn@hdz-nrw.de
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Olav A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Gressner
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Götting
authors.forename: Axel M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gressner
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kleesiek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010430:Pentosyltransferases / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D000097608:UDP Xylose-Protein Xylosyltransferase
chemical_list: D010430:Pentosyltransferases; D011509:Proteoglycans; D000097608:UDP Xylose-Protein Xylosyltransferase