title: TNF-α messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A few studies have confirmed high TNF-α plasma protein levels in patients with NASH compared to healthy volunteers. We herein aimed to revisit these findings using other molecular techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  a cross-sectional evaluation of patients newly diagnosed with NASH. A quantitative assay for the measurement of TNF-α messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was performed for NASH patients and controls using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  in 39 patients with NASH (mean age 38.6 ± 9.4 years, range 28-60 years; 79% males), the mean TNF-α mRNA level was significantly higher than that found for controls (137.6 ± 102.3 ng/mL versus 83.5 ± 43.8 ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.012). A TNF-α mRNA cut-off of 100 ng/mL predicted NASH most optimally (AUC 0.685 ± 0.066, P = 0.01; with 66.7% sensitivity and 74.1% specificity). Serum TNF-α and soluble TNF-α receptor II (sTNFRII) levels were significantly higher in patients compared to controls using ELISA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  high TNF-α mRNA levels, determined by RT-PCR, characterize patients with NASH.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, St. Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon. nada.aladdin@usj.edu.lb
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alaaeddine
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sidaoui
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hilal
authors.forename: Reem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serhal
authors.forename: Abir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abedelrahman
authors.forename: Salem
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khoury
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012372:ROC Curve; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II / Q000097:blood; D012995:Solubility; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein