title: The Value of Circulating Nogo-B for Evaluating Hepatic Functional Reserve in Patients with Cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine Nogo-B in liver tissues and plasma of patients with liver cirrhosis and associate them with various clinical parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nogo-B protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in 24 human fibrotic/cirrhotic liver specimens and 10 healthy controls. We determined plasma Nogo-B levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 301 patients with liver cirrhosis and 153 healthy controls, and then analyzed various clinical parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nogo-B was mainly expressed in nonparenchymal cells in the liver and was marked increased in liver with significant fibrosis/cirrhosis compared to controls. Moreover, Metavir F4 showed a higher level of expression than F2. Plasma Nogo-B levels were significantly higher in cirrhotic patients than in healthy controls and were the highest in Child-Pugh class C patients. Plasma Nogo-B levels were positively correlated with Child-Pugh scores. However, there was no relationship between plasma Nogo-B levels and etiology of liver diseases, ALT, AST, platelet counts, and the severity of esophagogastric varices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nogo-B is mainly expressed in hepatic nonparenchymal cells and is present in plasma. Abnormally high plasma levels of Nogo-B are associated with hepatic cirrhosis and Child-Pugh score, but not correlated with the grade of liver inflammation or portal hypertension. Plasma Nogo-B may be a novel surrogate marker to reflect liver function reserve.
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Maoyao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Ruoting
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Men
authors.affiliation: Creation and Management of a Tumour Bank, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Zongze
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Xuelian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Wenchao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cardiovascular Diseases, Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive Diseases, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000070798:Nogo Proteins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D000070798:Nogo Proteins; C000603199:RTN4 protein, human