title: B cell-activating factor is associated with the histological severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  B cell-activating factor (BAFF) is expressed in adipocytes and affects lipogenesis and insulin sensitivity. In addition, the BAFF receptor is expressed in visceral adipose tissue and liver. The aim of this study was to analyze serum BAFF levels in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and simple steatosis (SS) and to compare their respective clinical and histological findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 96 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (20 with SS and 76 with NASH) were enrolled and their serum BAFF levels were analyzed. Comprehensive blood chemistry analysis and histological examination of liver samples were also conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum BAFF levels were higher in patients with NASH than in those with SS (p = 0.016). NASH patients with ballooning hepatocytes and advanced fibrosis had higher levels of BAFF in sera (p = 0.016 and p = 0.006, respectively). In addition, the prevalence of NASH increased significantly as the serum BAFF level increased (p = 0.004). Higher serum BAFF levels were found to be an independent risk factor for development of NASH (OR 1.003, 95% CI 1.0003-1.006; p = 0.047).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis patients had higher levels of serum BAFF than patients with SS, and higher levels were associated with the presence of hepatocyte ballooning and advanced fibrosis. The serum BAFF level may be a useful tool for distinguishing NASH from SS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Teruki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tokumoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirooka
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Teru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Maho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Keitarou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Fujimasa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Teruhisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiasa
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan.
authors.forename: Bunzo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime, 791-0295, Japan. onjimori@m.ehime-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Morikazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Onji
keywords: Adipokine; B cell-activating factor; Fibrosis; Hepatocyte ballooning; Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis