title: Cu isotopic signature in blood serum of liver transplant patients: a follow-up study.
abstract: End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is life-threatening and liver transplantation (LTx) is the definitive treatment with good outcomes. Given the essential role of hepatocytes in Cu homeostasis, the potential of the serum Cu isotopic composition for monitoring a patient's condition post-LTx was evaluated. For this purpose, high-precision Cu isotopic analysis of blood serum of ESLD patients pre- and post-LTx was accomplished via multi-collector ICP-mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The Cu isotopic composition of the ESLD patients was fractionated in favour of the lighter isotope (by about -0.50‰). Post-LTx, a generalized normalization of the Cu isotopic composition was observed for the patients with normal liver function, while it remained light when this condition was not reached. A strong decrease in the δ(65)Cu value a longer term post-LTx seems to indicate the recurrence of liver failure or cancer. The observed trend in favour of the heavier Cu isotopic composition post-LTx seems to be related with the restored biosynthetic capacity of the liver, the restored hepatic metabolism and/or the restored biliary secretion pathways. Thus, Cu isotopic analysis could be a valuable tool for the follow-up of liver transplant patients and for establishing the potential recurrence of liver failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S12, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lauwens
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S12, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costas-Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185-1K12IE, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Vlierberghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S12, BE-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vanhaecke
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007554:Isotopes / Q000097:blood*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry*; D066027:Transplant Recipients
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D003300:Copper