The concentration of Fas in the serum and liver tissue in viral chronic hepatitis B patients treated with lamivudine.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: HBV infection stimulates cellular synthesis and Fas expression. The dependence of the Fas concentration in the liver tissue and serum was estimated in reference to the elimination of HBV-DNA, necroinflammatory changes and fibrotic activity in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with lamivudine.

METHODOLOGY

Included in the study were 31 patients with chronic hepatitis B treated with lamivudine for 12 months. Fas in the liver tissue was measured before therapy. Fas and beta-2M in the serum, CD4 lymphocytes in the blood were also measured before therapy and after 1 and 3 months of treatment. The concentration of Fas in the liver tissue of patients with HBV infection was compared to concentration of Fas in the liver tissue of patients with alcoholic liver disease. Fas in the liver tissue and serum was measured with use of the ELISA test, firm Bender Med Systems (Austria).

RESULTS

At the end of treatment, 71% (23/31) patients ALT had normalized, 45% (14/31) eliminated HBV-DNA and 39% (12/31) eliminated antigen HBe. The concentration of Fas was higher in the liver tissue of chronic hepatitis B patients (1009 ng/g) in comparison to the patients with alcoholic disease of the liver (631 ng/g). The activity of fibrosis in the liver tissue did not cause any differences in the Fas concentrations. The concentration of Fas in the liver tissue was not dependent on the effectiveness of the antiviral therapy. No correlation between the concentration of Fas in the liver tissue in comparison to the serum was observed (Pearson=0.169). The highest concentration of Fas in the serum was observed in patients who did not eliminate HBV-DNA (30.7 pg/mL) and in patients with moderate necroinflammatory changes (30.2 pg/mL). Among the patients, who eliminated HBV-DNA, the concentration of Fas in the serum normalized after the third month of treatment (18.2 pg/mL). In patients with a poor response to the therapy the concentration of Fas in the serum remained above the preferred values (25.2 pg/mL).

CONCLUSIONS

The concentration of Fas in the serum did not correlate with the concentration of Fas in the liver tissue of chronic hepatitis B patients. Allowing concentration of Fas before therapy and fast normalization this protein in the serum could be a good prognostic indicator of treatment.