Faculty of Medicine, St. Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Eur Cytokine Netw. 2012 Jul-Sep;23(3):107-11. doi: 10.1684/ecn.2012.0313.
tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A few studies have confirmed high TNF-α plasma protein levels in patients with NASH compared to healthy volunteers. We herein aimed to revisit these findings using other molecular techniques.
a cross-sectional evaluation of patients newly diagnosed with NASH. A quantitative assay for the measurement of TNF-α messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was performed for NASH patients and controls using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
in 39 patients with NASH (mean age 38.6 ± 9.4 years, range 28-60 years; 79% males), the mean TNF-α mRNA level was significantly higher than that found for controls (137.6 ± 102.3 ng/mL versus 83.5 ± 43.8 ng/mL, respectively; P = 0.012). A TNF-α mRNA cut-off of 100 ng/mL predicted NASH most optimally (AUC 0.685 ± 0.066, P = 0.01; with 66.7% sensitivity and 74.1% specificity). Serum TNF-α and soluble TNF-α receptor II (sTNFRII) levels were significantly higher in patients compared to controls using ELISA.
high TNF-α mRNA levels, determined by RT-PCR, characterize patients with NASH.
肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α在非酒精性脂肪性肝炎（NASH）的发病机制中起重要作用。一些研究证实，与健康志愿者相比，NASH 患者的 TNF-α 血浆蛋白水平较高。我们旨在使用其他分子技术重新验证这些发现。
对新诊断为 NASH 的患者进行横断面评估。使用实时逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）对 NASH 患者和对照组进行 TNF-α 信使核糖核酸（mRNA）的定量测定。
在 39 例 NASH 患者（平均年龄 38.6 ± 9.4 岁，范围 28-60 岁；79%为男性）中，TNF-α mRNA 水平明显高于对照组（分别为 137.6 ± 102.3 ng/mL 和 83.5 ± 43.8 ng/mL；P = 0.012）。TNF-α mRNA 截断值为 100 ng/mL 可最佳预测 NASH（AUC 0.685 ± 0.066，P = 0.01；敏感性为 66.7%，特异性为 74.1%）。ELISA 显示，与对照组相比，患者的血清 TNF-α 和可溶性 TNF-α 受体 II（sTNFRII）水平明显更高。
通过 RT-PCR 确定的高 TNF-α mRNA 水平可用于表征 NASH 患者。
