Highly Increased Levels of Inter-α-inhibitor Heavy Chain 4 (ITIH4) in Autoimmune Cholestatic Liver Diseases.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

There is an unmet need for new biomarkers to improve diagnostics and prognostics in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Inter-α-inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4) is an abundant, liver-produced protein, and its synthesis may be altered in liver diseases. We investigated whether ITIH4 plasma concentrations were affected in PBC and PSC patients.

Methods

We developed an immunoassay specific for ITIH4 and determined ITIH4 plasma concentrations in 66 PBC, 126 PSC, 92 autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), 67 chronic hepatitis C (CHC), 33 alcoholic hepatitis (AH) patients and 138 healthy controls (HCs). Hepatic ITIH4 expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry in PBC.

Results

The mean plasma concentration of ITIH4 was al

SUBMITTER: Laursen TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9547247 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature