Cytokines, paraoxonase-1, periostin and non-invasive liver fibrosis scores in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and persistently elevated aminotransferases: A pilot study

Exp Ther Med. 2021 May;21(5):533. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.9965. Epub 2021 Mar 23.

Abstract

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible association between paraoxonase-1 (PON1), periostin (POSTN), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 serum concentration with non-invasive liver fibrosis scores, in a cohort of patients with NAFLD. We studied a cohort of 52 patients diagnosed with NAFLD. The NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4), AST to platelet ratio index (APRI) and BARD scores were calculated for each patient. We determined the PON1, POSTN, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 serum values using ELISA kits. There was no correlation between PON1 or POSTN serum levels and non-invasive liver fibrosis. The TNF-α serum values were independently associated with the liver fibrosis scores (P=0.02 for NFS and P=0.002 for FIB-4). Age and metabolic syndrome were also independently linked to the fibrosis scores. In conclusion, serum levels of TNF-α, age and metabolic syndrome were associated with the non-invasive liver fibrosis scores.

Keywords: cytokines; fibrosis scores; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; paraoxonase-1 concentration; periostin.

Grants and funding

Funding: This research study was partially financed by an internal grant (nos. 7690/72/15.04.2016 and 5200/62/01.03.2017) from the ‘Iuliu Hațieganu’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca.