Liang Jing, Cai Wenjuan, Han Tao, Jing Li, Ma Zhe, Gao Yingtang
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tianjin Third Central Hospital Department of Pathology, Tianjin First Central Hospital Molecular Biology Laboratory, Tianjin Third Central Hospital Department of Pathology, Tianjin Third Central Hospital Tianjin Key Laboratory of Artificial Cell Artificial Cell Engineering Technology Research Center of Public Health Ministry, Tianjin, China.
Medicine (Baltimore). 2016 Dec;95(52):e5763. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000005763.
The aim of the study was to detect the expression level of thymosin β4 (Tβ4) in serum and tissues of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) combined nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The effects of Tβ4 in hepatic steatosis, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis development in CHB combined NAFLD patients were also discussed. The study included 46 patients in the case group with CHB and NAFLD and 42 patients in the control group with CHB. ELISA was applied to detect serum Tβ4 and TNF-α level. Furthermore, the correlation analysis of Tβ4 levels with biochemical index, pathological index, and TNF-α level was performed. The Tβ4 immunohistochemical levels of different inflammation fibrosis levels were compared, and the correlation analysis with TNF expression was performed. The Tβ4 levels in patients with CHB combined NAFLD showed no statistical difference when compared to the control group. In patients with CHB combined NAFLD group, the Tβ4 level had no correlation with ALT, AST, TG, FGP, hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA levels, and fat grading, but had negative correlation with inflammation score and fibrosis score (P <0.01). The immunohistochemical results of hepatic tissues showed that the expression intensity of severe inflammation fibrosis group had statistical significance compared with that of slight group, and the Tβ4 expression both in serum and in liver tissue negatively correlated with TNF-α expression. Tβ4 could be involved in the regulation of chronic inflammation and fibrosis and plays a defense role in the disease progression of CHB combined NAFLD patients.
本研究旨在检测慢性乙型肝炎（CHB）合并非酒精性脂肪性肝病（NAFLD）患者血清和组织中胸腺素β4（Tβ4）的表达水平。同时探讨Tβ4在CHB合并NAFLD患者肝脏脂肪变性、慢性炎症及纤维化发展中的作用。研究纳入46例CHB合并NAFLD患者作为病例组，42例CHB患者作为对照组。采用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）法检测血清Tβ4和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）水平。此外，对Tβ4水平与生化指标、病理指标及TNF-α水平进行相关性分析。比较不同炎症纤维化水平的Tβ4免疫组化水平，并与TNF表达进行相关性分析。CHB合并NAFLD患者的Tβ4水平与对照组相比无统计学差异。在CHB合并NAFLD组患者中，Tβ4水平与丙氨酸转氨酶（ALT）、天冬氨酸转氨酶（AST）、甘油三酯（TG）、纤维蛋白原（FGP）、乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）-DNA水平及脂肪分级无相关性，但与炎症评分和纤维化评分呈负相关（P<0.01）。肝组织免疫组化结果显示，重度炎症纤维化组的表达强度与轻度组相比具有统计学意义，血清和肝组织中的Tβ4表达均与TNF-α表达呈负相关。Tβ4可能参与慢性炎症和纤维化的调节，并在CHB合并NAFLD患者的疾病进展中发挥防御作用。
