Plasma fibrinogen-like protein 2 levels in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
OBJECTIVE
Fibrinogen-like protein 2 (fgl2), has recently been identified as a new member of the fibrinogen-like family of proteins. In this study we assayed plasma levels of fgl2 in patients with biopsy proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and examined their association with clinical, biochemical and histological phenotypes.


METHODS
Levels of plasma fgl2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and compared between the study groups. Moreover, concentrations of fgl2 were assessed in relation to the general characteristics of the study participants and the results of the liver biopsy.


RESULTS
Levels of fgl2 were significantly higher in patients with definite non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (788±190pg/mL, p<0.001) and borderline NASH (710 ± 140pg/mL, p<0.001) compared with controls (515±174pg/mL). No significant differences were found in patients with simple steatosis (649 ± 162pg/mL) as compared with controls. There were no associations between the plasma fgl2 levels with the fibrosis stage and steatosis grade.


CONCLUSIONS
Although subject to future confirmation, our data suggest that fgl2 levels are elevated in the more severe forms of NAFLD.
Department of Gastroenterology, Istanbul Goztepe Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. dryasarcolak@yahoo.com
Yasar
Y
Colak
Ebubekir
E
Senates
Oguzhan
O
Ozturk
Yusuf
Y
Yilmaz
Ender
E
Coskunpinar
Ozlem Timirci
OT
Kahraman
Onder
O
Sahin
Ebru
E
Zemheri
Feruze Yilmaz
FY
Enc
Celal
C
Ulasoglu
Safak
S
Kiziltas
Oya Ovunc
OO
Kurdas
Ilyas
I
Tuncer
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
C095202:FGL2 protein, human; D005340:Fibrinogen