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Ferreira J, Bicho M, Serejo F. Effects of HCV Clearance with Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) on Liver Stiffness, Liver Fibrosis Stage and Metabolic/Cellular Parameters. Viruses 2024; 16:371. [PMID: 38543737 PMCID: PMC10974411 DOI: 10.3390/v16030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a clinical and pathological syndrome with various causes and is characterized by varying degrees of hepatocellular necrosis and inflammation. It is a significant cause of liver transplantation and liver-related death worldwide. The hepatic manifestations of CHC are typically characterized by slowly progressing liver fibrosis, which is a non-specific and often disproportionate response to tissue damage. A large majority of HCV patients have extrahepatic manifestations with varying degrees of severity. HCV infection is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus, which increases insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and iron overload and causes chronic systemic inflammation. HCV infection is treated using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) with cure rates of over 95 percent, minimal side effects, and shorter therapeutic courses. Despite the effective elimination of the virus, it seemed pertinent to understand to what extent HCV clearance eliminates or attenuates all the systemic alterations already induced by the virus during infection and chronicity. OBJECTIVES Our study aimed to determine whether eliminating HCV with DAAs alters the severity of liver disease (liver stiffness and liver fibrosis stage by TE) and the metabolic/cellular profile of patients with CHC. MATERIALS AND METHODS A group of 329 CHC patients from a Gastroenterology and Hepatology outpatient department were prospectively studied. Of these, 134 were also studied with DAAs. The liver fibrosis stage was evaluated by transient elastography (TE) using a FibroScan® device, and two groups were established for the analysis of liver stiffness (LS): mild and moderate stiffness (fibrosis F1 and F2; F1/2) and severe stiffness (fibrosis and cirrhosis F3 and F4; F3/4). Metabolic/cellular parameters were evaluated before and after antiviral treatment using standard methods: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (γ-GT), haptoglobin (Hp), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), free iron (Fe), transferrin saturation (TS), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin (Ft), glycemia, insulin, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and platelets count. The results were statistically analyzed using SPSS 24.0 for Windows. RESULTS Comparing the fibrosis stage before and after DAAs treatment, we verify a reduction in LS in 85.7% of patients and an improvement in liver fibrosis stage in 22.2% of them after DAAs treatment. Before DAAs treatment, patients showed a 2.410 risk for higher fibrosis stages (F3/4). Comparing metabolic/cellular parameters before and after DAAs treatment, patients showed lower ALP, AST, ALT, γGT, TG, Fe, TIBC, and Ft values and higher TC, LDL, and Hp values after treatment. As such, HCV elimination reduces iron overload and insulin resistance. On the other hand, it caused dyslipidemia, raising total cholesterol and LDL to levels outside the reference values. The improvement in the liver fibrosis stage by TE was mainly associated with higher baseline platelet count and HDL values and lower insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS With this study, we were able to contribute to the knowledge of the effects of HCV elimination with DAAs on liver disease and metabolic profile to improve the quality of treatment and follow-up of these patients after HCV elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Ferreira
- Institute for Scientific Research Bento Rocha Cabral, 1250-047 Lisbon, Portugal;
- TERRA, ISAMB, Genetics Laboratory, Lisbon Medical School, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Manuel Bicho
- Institute for Scientific Research Bento Rocha Cabral, 1250-047 Lisbon, Portugal;
- TERRA, ISAMB, Genetics Laboratory, Lisbon Medical School, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Fátima Serejo
- TERRA, ISAMB, Genetics Laboratory, Lisbon Medical School, University of Lisbon, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal;
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal
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Luo J, Liu Z, Wang Q, Tan S. Liver iron overload and fat content analyzed by magnetic resonance contribute to evaluatingthe progression of chronic hepatitis B. Biomed Rep 2024; 20:23. [PMID: 38169881 PMCID: PMC10758915 DOI: 10.3892/br.2023.1711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and its complications still have a major role in liver-related mortality. It has been indicated that hepatic iron and steatosis may influence liver fibrosis and carcinogenesis. The present study aimed to assess the liver iron and fat in patients with CHB by MRI in order to estimate the associations among liver iron, fat and the severity and progression of liver fibrosis. In the present retrospective study, consecutive patients with CHB examined from August 2018 to August 2020 were analyzed. Liver iron and fat content were assessed by MRI, which was measured as liver iron content (LIC) and proton density fat fraction (PDFF). A total of 340 patients were included in the current study. For LIC, the median value was 1.68 mg/g and elevated LIC was seen in 122 patients (35.9%). For liver fat content, the median value of PDFF was 3.1%, while only 15.0% of patients had liver steatosis (PDFF ≥5%). Age, total bilirubin and sex were independent predictive factors of liver iron overload [odds ratio (OR)=1.036, 1.005 and 8.834, respectively]. A higher platelet count (OR=1.005) and no portal hypertension (OR=0.381) independently predicted liver steatosis. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of PDFF for the identification of liver cirrhosis estimated by different non-invasive tools ranged from 0.629 to 0.704. It was concluded that iron overload was common in patients with CHB, particularly in those with older age, male sex and high total bilirubin level, and liver steatosis was less common in CHB. Liver iron and fat content analyzed by MRI may contribute to the evaluation of the severity and progression of CHB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinni Luo
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
| | - Zhenzhen Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
| | - Siwei Tan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510630, P.R. China
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Beyer D, Hoff J, Sommerfeld O, Zipprich A, Gaßler N, Press AT. The liver in sepsis: molecular mechanism of liver failure and their potential for clinical translation. Mol Med 2022; 28:84. [PMID: 35907792 PMCID: PMC9338540 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-022-00510-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver failure is a life-threatening complication of infections restricting the host's response to infection. The pivotal role of the liver in metabolic, synthetic, and immunological pathways enforces limits the host's ability to control the immune response appropriately, making it vulnerable to ineffective pathogen resistance and tissue damage. Deregulated networks of liver diseases are gradually uncovered by high-throughput, single-cell resolved OMICS technologies visualizing an astonishing diversity of cell types and regulatory interaction driving tolerogenic signaling in health and inflammation in disease. Therefore, this review elucidates the effects of the dysregulated host response on the liver, consequences for the immune response, and possible avenues for personalized therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Beyer
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Jessica Hoff
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.,Center for Sepsis Control and Care, Jena University Hospital, Bachstr. 18, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver Sommerfeld
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.,Center for Sepsis Control and Care, Jena University Hospital, Bachstr. 18, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Alexander Zipprich
- Department of Internal Medicine IV, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Gaßler
- Pathology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Adrian T Press
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany. .,Center for Sepsis Control and Care, Jena University Hospital, Bachstr. 18, 07743, Jena, Germany. .,Medical Faculty, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Kastanienstr. 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
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Zaman BA, Rasool SO, Merza MA, Abdulah DM. Hepcidin-to-ferritin ratio: A potential novel index to predict iron overload-liver fibrosis in ß-thalassemia major. Transfus Clin Biol 2021; 29:153-160. [PMID: 34856399 DOI: 10.1016/j.tracli.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine a threshold cutoff for hepcidin, ferritin, and the hepcidin-to-ferritin ratio in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis caused by iron overload in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)-free ß-thalassemia major patients . METHODS This 1:1-matched case-control study included 102 individuals (3-30 yr.); 51 ß-thalassemia major patients with iron overload , and 51 apparently healthy individuals. RESULTS The highest areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC-ROCs) for the diagnosis of patients vs. controls had overlapping 95% confidence intervals (CIs): serum hepcidin (0.758; 0.64-0.87; P ˂ 0.001), serum ferritin (1.000; 1.00-1.00; P˂0.001), and the hepcidin/ferritin ratio (1.000; 1.00-1.00; P˂0.001). For differentiation of patients with liver fibrosis stages of F0-F1 vs. F2-F4 and F0-F1 vs. F3-F4, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) with P-values˂0.001 were the only statistically significant parameters, while the AUC-ROCs of the hepcidin/ferritin ratio (0.631, P=0.188 and 0.684, P=0.098) exhibited 90% and 89.5% sensitivity, respectively, in staging liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION Our results showed that the hepcidin/ferritin ratio is as effective as the APRI and maybe a better predictor for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis and discriminating its stages, with excellent sensitivity and specificity compared to its components.
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Affiliation(s)
- B A Zaman
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Duhok, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
| | - S O Rasool
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Duhok, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
| | - M A Merza
- Azadi Teaching Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Pharmacy, University of Duhok, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
| | - D M Abdulah
- Community Health Unit, College of Nursing, University of Duhok, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
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Yoshikawa M, Kudo K, Harada T, Harashima K, Suzuki J, Ogawa K, Fujiwara T, Nishida M, Sato R, Shirai T, Bito Y. Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping versus R2*-based Histogram Analysis for Evaluating Liver Fibrosis: Preliminary Results. Magn Reson Med Sci 2021; 21:609-622. [PMID: 34483224 DOI: 10.2463/mrms.mp.2020-0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The staging of liver fibrosis is clinically important, and a less invasive method is preferred. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) has shown a great potential in estimating liver fibrosis in addition to R2* relaxometry. However, few studies have compared QSM analysis and liver fibrosis. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of estimating liver fibrosis by using QSM and R2*-based histogram analyses by comparing it with ultrasound-based transient elastography and the stage of histologic fibrosis. METHODS Fourteen patients with liver disease were enrolled. Data sets of multi-echo gradient echo sequence with breath-holding were acquired on a 3-Tesla scanner. QSM and R2* were reconstructed by water-fat separation method, and ROIs were analyzed for these images. Quantitative parameters with histogram features (mean, variance, skewness, kurtosis, and 1st, 10th, 50th, 90th, and 99th percentiles) were extracted. These data were compared with the elasticity measured by ultrasound transient elastography and histological stage of liver fibrosis (F0 to F4, based on the new Inuyama classification) determined by biopsy or hepatectomy. The correlation of histogram parameters with intrahepatic elasticity and histologically confirmed fibrosis stage was examined. Texture parameters were compared between subgroups divided according to fibrosis stage. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was also performed. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS The six histogram parameters of both QSM and R2*were significantly correlated with intrahepatic elasticity. In particular, three parameters (variance, percentiles [90th and 99th]) of QSM showed high correlation (r = 0.818-0.844), whereas R2* parameters showed a moderate correlation with elasticity. Four parameters of QSM were significantly correlated with fibrosis stage (ρ = 0.637-0.723) and differentiated F2-4 from F0-1 fibrosis and F3-4 from F0-2 fibrosis with areas under the ROC curve of > 0.8, but those of R2* did not. CONCLUSION QSM may serve as a promising surrogate indicator in detecting liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masato Yoshikawa
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Kohsuke Kudo
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine.,Global Center for Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine
| | - Taisuke Harada
- Center for Cause of Death Investigation, Hokkaido University Faculty of Medicine.,Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hokkaido University Hospital
| | - Kazutaka Harashima
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Hokkaido University Hospital
| | - Jun Suzuki
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Hakodate Municipal Hospital
| | - Koji Ogawa
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Taro Fujiwara
- Department of Radiology, Division of Medical Imaging and Technology, Hokkaido University Hospital
| | - Mutsumi Nishida
- Diagnostic Center for Sonography, Hokkaido University Hospital
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Hasan Y, Brown K. Viral eradication restores normal iron status in chronic hepatitis C patients with abnormal iron studies. Ann Hepatol 2021; 19:422-426. [PMID: 32278667 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2020.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Abnormal serum iron studies are seen in a third or more of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV), where they have been linked to accelerated fibrosis progression and increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and sometimes lead to concern for coexisting hereditary hemochromatosis. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of HCV eradication in patients with abnormal serum iron studies prior to treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). PATIENTS HCV-infected subjects with iron studies obtained before and after successful treatment with DAAs were identified (n=27). All had one or more abnormal iron test before treatment. RESULTS Following HCV eradication, serum iron, transferrin-iron saturation and ferritin levels decreased significantly (pre- versus post-treatment, p<0.01 for each). Serum iron and/or transferrin-iron saturations normalized in 16/19 subjects and raised ferritin levels returned to the normal range in 14/18 subjects, including several with pretreatment transferrin-iron saturation >90% and/or serum ferritin >1000ng/mL. Elimination of HCV infection was associated with a significant reduction in post-treatment ferritin levels even among subjects whose ferritin levels were within normal limits at baseline. Risk factors for other conditions associated with abnormal iron status were present in the few cases in which iron studies failed to normalize following DAA treatment. CONCLUSIONS Eradication of HCV infection restores normal iron status in most patients with abnormal iron tests, including those whose baseline parameters are suggestive of hemochromatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazan Hasan
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Kyle Brown
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States; Iowa City Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, United States; Free Radical and Radiation Biology Program, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States.
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Garcia-Casal MN, Pasricha SR, Martinez RX, Lopez-Perez L, Peña-Rosas JP. Serum or plasma ferritin concentration as an index of iron deficiency and overload. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2021; 5:CD011817. [PMID: 34028001 PMCID: PMC8142307 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011817.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reference standard indices of iron deficiency and iron overload are generally invasive, expensive, and can be unpleasant or occasionally risky. Ferritin is an iron storage protein and its concentration in the plasma or serum reflects iron stores; low ferritin indicates iron deficiency, while elevated ferritin reflects risk of iron overload. However, ferritin is also an acute-phase protein and its levels are elevated in inflammation and infection. The use of ferritin as a diagnostic test of iron deficiency and overload is a common clinical practice. OBJECTIVES To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ferritin concentrations (serum or plasma) for detecting iron deficiency and risk of iron overload in primary and secondary iron-loading syndromes. SEARCH METHODS We searched the following databases (10 June 2020): DARE (Cochrane Library) Issue 2 of 4 2015, HTA (Cochrane Library) Issue 4 of 4 2016, CENTRAL (Cochrane Library) Issue 6 of 12 2020, MEDLINE (OVID) 1946 to 9 June 2020, Embase (OVID) 1947 to week 23 2020, CINAHL (Ebsco) 1982 to June 2020, Web of Science (ISI) SCI, SSCI, CPCI-exp & CPCI-SSH to June 2020, POPLINE 16/8/18, Open Grey (10/6/20), TRoPHI (10/6/20), Bibliomap (10/6/20), IBECS (10/6/20), SCIELO (10/6/20), Global Index Medicus (10/6/20) AIM, IMSEAR, WPRIM, IMEMR, LILACS (10/6/20), PAHO (10/6/20), WHOLIS 10/6/20, IndMED (16/8/18) and Native Health Research Database (10/6/20). We also searched two trials registers and contacted relevant organisations for unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA We included all study designs seeking to evaluate serum or plasma ferritin concentrations measured by any current or previously available quantitative assay as an index of iron status in individuals of any age, sex, clinical and physiological status from any country. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We followed standard Cochrane methods. We designed the data extraction form to record results for ferritin concentration as the index test, and bone marrow iron content for iron deficiency and liver iron content for iron overload as the reference standards. Two other authors further extracted and validated the number of true positive, true negative, false positive, false negative cases, and extracted or derived the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for each threshold presented for iron deficiency and iron overload in included studies. We assessed risk of bias and applicability using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS)-2 tool. We used GRADE assessment to enable the quality of evidence and hence strength of evidence for our conclusions. MAIN RESULTS Our search was conducted initially in 2014 and updated in 2017, 2018 and 2020 (10 June). We identified 21,217 records and screened 14,244 records after duplicates were removed. We assessed 316 records in full text. We excluded 190 studies (193 records) with reasons and included 108 studies (111 records) in the qualitative and quantitative analysis. There were 11 studies (12 records) that we screened from the last search update and appeared eligible for a future analysis. We decided to enter these as awaiting classification. We stratified the analysis first by participant clinical status: apparently healthy and non-healthy populations. We then stratified by age and pregnancy status as: infants and children, adolescents, pregnant women, and adults. Iron deficiency We included 72 studies (75 records) involving 6059 participants. Apparently healthy populations Five studies screened for iron deficiency in people without apparent illness. In the general adult population, three studies reported sensitivities of 63% to 100% at the optimum cutoff for ferritin, with corresponding specificities of 92% to 98%, but the ferritin cutoffs varied between studies. One study in healthy children reported a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 77%. One study in pregnant women reported a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 100%. Overall confidence in these estimates was very low because of potential bias, indirectness, and sparse and heterogenous evidence. No studies screened for iron overload in apparently healthy people. People presenting for medical care There were 63 studies among adults presenting for medical care (5042 participants). For a sample of 1000 subjects with a 35% prevalence of iron deficiency (of the included studies in this category) and supposing a 85% specificity, there would be 315 iron-deficient subjects correctly classified as having iron deficiency and 35 iron-deficient subjects incorrectly classified as not having iron deficiency, leading to a 90% sensitivity. Thresholds proposed by the authors of the included studies ranged between 12 to 200 µg/L. The estimated diagnostic odds ratio was 50. Among non-healthy adults using a fixed threshold of 30 μg/L (nine studies, 512 participants, low-certainty evidence), the pooled estimate for sensitivity was 79% with a 95% confidence interval of (58%, 91%) and specificity of 98%, with a 95% confidence interval of (91%, 100%). The estimated diagnostic odds ratio was 140, a relatively highly informative test. Iron overload We included 36 studies (36 records) involving 1927 participants. All studies concerned non-healthy populations. There were no studies targeting either infants, children, or pregnant women. Among all populations (one threshold for males and females; 36 studies, 1927 participants, very low-certainty evidence): for a sample of 1000 subjects with a 42% prevalence of iron overload (of the included studies in this category) and supposing a 65% specificity, there would be 332 iron-overloaded subjects correctly classified as having iron overload and 85 iron-overloaded subjects incorrectly classified as not having iron overload, leading to a 80% sensitivity. The estimated diagnostic odds ratio was 8. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS At a threshold of 30 micrograms/L, there is low-certainty evidence that blood ferritin concentration is reasonably sensitive and a very specific test for iron deficiency in people presenting for medical care. There is very low certainty that high concentrations of ferritin provide a sensitive test for iron overload in people where this condition is suspected. There is insufficient evidence to know whether ferritin concentration performs similarly when screening asymptomatic people for iron deficiency or overload.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sant-Rayn Pasricha
- Division: Population Health and Immunity, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | - Juan Pablo Peña-Rosas
- Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Tornai D, Antal-Szalmas P, Tornai T, Papp M, Tornai I, Sipeki N, Janka T, Balogh B, Vitalis Z. Abnormal ferritin levels predict development of poor outcomes in cirrhotic outpatients: a cohort study. BMC Gastroenterol 2021; 21:94. [PMID: 33653274 PMCID: PMC7923668 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-021-01669-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Both iron overload and iron deficient anemia can associate with cirrhosis. At the same time, inflammation might be continuously present in cirrhotic patients due to bacterial translocation and patients’ susceptibility to infections. Ferritin is a sensitive and widely available marker of iron homeostasis, in addition it acts as an acute phase protein. Therefore, we evaluated the prognostic potential of serum ferritin in the long-term follow-up of cirrhotic outpatients. Methods A cohort of 244 cirrhotic outpatients was recruited and followed for 2 years. We measured their serum ferritin levels in our routine laboratory unit at enrolment and investigated its association with clinical outcomes. Results Ferritin serum level was higher in males and older patients than in females (median: 152.6 vs. 75 μg/L, p < 0.001) or younger individuals (median: 142.9 vs. 67.9 μg/L, p = 0.002). Patients who previously survived variceal bleeding had lower ferritin levels (median: 43.1 vs. 146.6 μg/L, p < 0.001). In multivariate regression models, including laboratory and clinical factors, lower (< 40 μg/L) ferritin concentration was associated with the development of decompensated clinical stage in patients with previously compensated cirrhosis (sHR: 3.762, CI 1.616–8.760, p = 0.002), while higher (> 310 μg/L) circulating ferritin levels were associated with increased risks of bacterial infections in decompensated patients (sHR: 2.335, CI 1.193–4.568, p = 0.013) and mortality in the whole population (HR: 2.143, CI 1.174–3.910, p = 0.013). Conclusion We demonstrated usefulness of serum ferritin as a prognostic biomarker in cirrhosis, pointing out that both low and high concentrations need attention in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Tornai
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 98 Nagyerdei krt., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary. .,Kálmán Laki Doctoral School of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Peter Antal-Szalmas
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 98 Nagyerdei krt., 4032, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tamas Tornai
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Maria Papp
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Istvan Tornai
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Nora Sipeki
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tamas Janka
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Boglarka Balogh
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Vitalis
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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Fierro-Fine A, Guerin L, Hicsasmaz H, Brown KE. Clinical Factors Associated with Hepatocellular Iron Deposition in End-stage Liver Disease. J Clin Transl Hepatol 2020; 8:231-239. [PMID: 33083244 PMCID: PMC7562807 DOI: 10.14218/jcth.2020.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims: Hepatocellular iron accumulation in patients with chronic liver disease has been linked to adverse outcomes. The objective of this study was to identify clinical factors associated with hemosiderosis. Methods: A total of 103 consecutive liver transplant recipients were identified, in whom liver biopsy had been performed prior to transplantation. Laboratory and clinical data at biopsy and transplant were abstracted from the medical records and hepatocyte iron was graded in the biopsy and explant. The association of change in iron score from biopsy to transplant, with the time interval between these two events, was examined using linear mixed model analysis for repeated measures. Results: Most subjects had advanced fibrosis (F3-F4) at liver biopsy, which was performed on average about 2.5 years before transplant. Over 80% of patients had no or 1+ hepatocyte iron at biopsy; iron increased between biopsy and transplant in about 40%. The only demographic or clinical feature that correlated with increased iron was the presence of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. Increased iron at transplant was associated with higher serum iron and transferrin saturation at biopsy, and with lower hemoglobin level, greater mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, higher ferritin and model for end-stage liver disease score at transplant. Conclusions: The development of hemosiderosis in end-stage liver disease is associated with lower hemoglobin levels and alterations in red blood cell indices that are suggestive of hemolysis. These observations suggest that extravascular hemolysis may play a role in the development of secondary iron overload.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Fierro-Fine
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Leana Guerin
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | | | - Kyle E. Brown
- Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Program in Free Radical and Radiation Biology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa City Veterans Administration Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Correspondence to: Kyle E. Brown, Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, 4553 JCP, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. Tel: +1-319-384-6579, Fax: +1-319-356-7918, E-mail:
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10
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Ribot-Hernández I, Martín-González C, Vera-Delgado V, González-Navarrete L, de Armas-González JF, Viña-Rodríguez J, Sánchez-Pérez MJ, Rodríguez-Gaspar M, González-Reimers E. Prognostic Value of Serum Iron, Ferritin, and Transferrin in Chronic Alcoholic Liver Disease. Biol Trace Elem Res 2020; 195:427-435. [PMID: 31486016 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-019-01887-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol increases iron absorption. Therefore, increased amount of iron reaches the liver, and exerts pro-oxidant effects and stimulates ferritin synthesis and hepatic stellate cell activation, promoting fibrosis and inflammation. These mechanisms would theoretically support a role of ferritin as a marker of the transition to liver cirrhosis, and, consequently, as a prognostic factor, but there is controversy regarding its behavior in alcoholics. We analyzed among 238 severe alcoholics the prognostic value of iron, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation index (TSI) and total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and the relationships of these variables with liver function, proinflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor α), and the presence of cirrhosis. Patients showed higher serum ferritin (Z = 2.50, p = 0.031) but lower transferrin (t(264) = 4.81, p < 0.001), TIBC (t(262) = 4.44, p < 0.001), and iron (Z = 3.19, p = 0.001) values compared with 32 age- and sex-matched controls. Ferritin was related to inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8 (ρ = 0.18, p = 0.012) and to IL-6 (ρ = 0.16, p = 0.016), but not to liver function. On the contrary, cirrhotics showed lower transferrin (t(234) = 4.77, p < 0.001) and TIBC (t(232) = 4.67, p < 0.001), but higher TSI (Z = 3.35, p < 0.001) than non-cirrhotics. Transferrin, TSI, and TIBC were related to liver function impairment (marked differences among the Child's groups regarding transferrin (KW (2) = 22.83, p < 0.001), TSI (KW (2) = 15.81, p < 0.001), and TIBC (KW (2) = 21.38, p < 0.001) but only weakly to inflammation (inverse relationships between IL-6 and total iron (ρ = - 0.16, p = 0.017), TIBC (ρ = - 0.20, p = 0.002), and transferrin (ρ = - 0.20, p = 0.003). In accordance, albumin, IL-6, alcohol quitting, and TSI, in this order, were independently related to mortality, but not ferritin or iron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Ribot-Hernández
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Candelaria Martín-González
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Víctor Vera-Delgado
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Lourdes González-Navarrete
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | | | - José Viña-Rodríguez
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - María José Sánchez-Pérez
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Melchor Rodríguez-Gaspar
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Emilio González-Reimers
- Servicio de Medicina Interna Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
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11
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Martín-González C, Pelazas-González R, Fernández-Rodríguez C, Alemán-Valls R, Martínez-Riera A, Ortega-Toledo P, García-Rodríguez A, Rodríguez-Gaspar M, González-Reimers E. Ferritin and liver fibrosis among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2020; 61:126542. [PMID: 32417635 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection there is increased iron absorption leading to iron overload, a fact that may promote ferritin synthesis. Theoretically, increased ferritin should promote ongoing liver fibrosis but disparate results have been described. OBJECTIVE We analyze the behavior of iron metabolism- related variables, comparing them with fibrosis and inflammatory activity in liver biopsy in HCV infected patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS We analyzed among 90 HCV patients subjected to liver biopsy prior to antiviral treatment the relationships of serum levels of iron, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation index (TSI) and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) with liver fibrosis and histological severity, assessed by Metavir-f, Metavir-a and Knodell indices, as well as with liver function, and also compared the aforementioned iron metabolism- related variables with 34 controls. RESULTS Patients showed higher values of sideremia (T = 2.04; p = 0.044) and transferrin (T = 2.29; p = 0.004) compared with controls; but not ferritin, that was significantly higher among the 33 patients who also consumed alcohol (Z = 2.05; p = 0.041). Most patients showed a well preserved liver function (86 cases, Child A). Patients with Child B or C showed higher ferritin levels (Z = 2.68; p = 0.007) and TSI (Z = 2.41; p = 0.016), but lower transferrin and TIBC (Z = 3.25; p = 0.001) than Child A patients. Transferrin and TIBC were directly related to albumin (ρ = 0.24; p = 0.026), whereas bilirubin showed direct relationships with iron (ρ = 0.25; p = 0.016), TSI (ρ = 0.39; p < 0.001) and ferritin (ρ = 0.36; p < 0.001). Both ferritin (ρ = -0.22; p = 0.04) and TSI (ρ = -0.25; p = 0.016) were related to platelet count. No relationships were observed between iron variables and Knodell index, but serum iron, serum transferrin, and TSI were directly related to Metavir-f score (ρ = 0.28; p = 0.009, ρ = 0.22; p = 0.044, and ρ = 0.22; p = 0.044, in this order). CONCLUSION Alterations of iron related variables are relatively subtle in our series of 90 well compensated HCV patients. Serum ferritin was not related to liver fibrosis and increases only when alcoholism co-exists with HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candelaria Martín-González
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
| | - Ricardo Pelazas-González
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Camino Fernández-Rodríguez
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Remedios Alemán-Valls
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Antonio Martínez-Riera
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Paula Ortega-Toledo
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Alen García-Rodríguez
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Melchor Rodríguez-Gaspar
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
| | - Emilio González-Reimers
- Servicio de Medicina Interna. Hospital Universitario de Canarias. Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.
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12
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Reclassifying Hepatic Cell Death during Liver Damage: Ferroptosis-A Novel Form of Non-Apoptotic Cell Death? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051651. [PMID: 32121273 PMCID: PMC7084577 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis has emerged as a new type of cell death in different pathological conditions, including neurological and kidney diseases and, especially, in different types of cancer. The hallmark of this regulated cell death is the presence of iron-driven lipid peroxidation; the activation of key genes related to this process such as glutathione peroxidase-4 (gpx4), acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member-4 (acsl4), carbonyl reductase [NADPH] 3 (cbr3), and prostaglandin peroxidase synthase-2 (ptgs2); and morphological changes including shrunken and electron-dense mitochondria. Iron overload in the liver has long been recognized as both a major trigger of liver damage in different diseases, and it is also associated with liver fibrosis. New evidence suggests that ferroptosis might be a novel type of non-apoptotic cell death in several liver diseases including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), alcoholic liver disease (ALD), drug-induced liver injury (DILI), viral hepatitis, and hemochromatosis. The interaction between iron-related lipid peroxidation, cellular stress signals, and antioxidant systems plays a pivotal role in the development of this novel type of cell death. In addition, integrated responses from lipidic mediators together with free iron from iron-containing enzymes are essential to understanding this process. The presence of ferroptosis and the exact mechanisms leading to this non-apoptotic type of cell death in the liver remain scarcely elucidated. Recognizing ferroptosis as a novel type of cell death in the liver could lead to the understanding of the complex interaction between different types of cell death, their role in progression of liver fibrosis, the development of new biomarkers, as well as the use of modulators of ferroptosis, allowing improved theranostic approaches in the clinic.
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13
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Haghgoo SM, Sharafi H, Alavian SM. Serum cytokines, adipokines and ferritin for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease: a systematic review. Clin Chem Lab Med 2019; 57:577-610. [PMID: 30231008 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2018-0357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/27/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a major health problem worldwide. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), chronic hepatitis C (CHC), chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are the most common etiologies of CLD. Liver biopsy is the gold standard for assessment of liver fibrosis, however, it is an invasive method. This review attempts to evaluate the usefulness of serum adiponectin, serum leptin, serum ferritin, serum transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), and serum platelet derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) as non-invasive markers in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. A systematic search in MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and local databases was performed to identify articles published in English or Persian as of November 2017. Studies conducted among CLD patients, with biopsy proven fibrosis/cirrhosis, and providing sufficient details of patients' clinicopathological characteristics were included. In the 95 studies included, there were a total of 15,548 CLD patients. More than 83% of studies were carried out in Asia and Europe. The relationship between liver fibrosis/cirrhosis and serum levels of ferritin, adiponectin, leptin, TGF-β1, and PDGF-BB was assessed in 42, 33, 27, nine, and three studies, respectively. Serum levels of the markers, particularly ferritin, could successfully predict liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, however, these data might not be clinically replicated and further studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Mortaza Haghgoo
- Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Heidar Sharafi
- Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Moayed Alavian
- Baqiyatallah Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Middle East Liver Diseases (MELD) Center, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Atarashi M, Izawa T, Kuwamura M, Yamate J. [The role of iron overload in the progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)]. Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2019; 154:61-65. [PMID: 31406044 DOI: 10.1254/fpj.154.61] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), one of the most common chronic liver diseases (CLD), is getting the most important cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Iron is an essential micronutrient for organisms. Once excess iron is accumulated in vital organs, dysfunctions of these organs can occur via the generation of reactive oxygen species. Hepatic iron overload is often seen in CLD patients. In NASH patients, iron accumulation in the liver is positively correlated with histological severity. Thus iron overload can contribute to progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to NASH. In a rat model of NASH, feeding of high-fat and high-iron diet increases hepatic inflammation with increased hepatic cytokine expression compared with feeding of high-fat diet only. In this model, iron is intensely accumulated in Kupffer cells/macrophages within the lesion, raising the possibility that iron-laden Kupffer cells/macrophages can play a key role in the enhancement of hepatic inflammation in NASH condition. On the other hand, in a rat model of liver cirrhosis, dietary iron overload clearly abrogates the development and progression of liver cirrhosis induced by repeated administration of thioacetamide (TAA). These findings suggest that iron overload can promote or suppress chronic liver diseases depending on the tissue microenvironment. Here we review and introduce the recent findings on the pathological roles of iron overload in the development and progression of NAFLD/NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Machi Atarashi
- Researcher Pharmacology dept. Research & Development center FUSO Pharm., Ltd.,Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Division of Veterinary Science, Osaka Prefecture University Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences
| | - Takeshi Izawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Division of Veterinary Science, Osaka Prefecture University Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences
| | - Mitsuru Kuwamura
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Division of Veterinary Science, Osaka Prefecture University Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences
| | - Jyoji Yamate
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Division of Veterinary Science, Osaka Prefecture University Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences
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15
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Iron-Induced Liver Injury: A Critical Reappraisal. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20092132. [PMID: 31052166 PMCID: PMC6539962 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of human liver diseases. Hereditary hemochromatosis is the classical example of a liver disease caused by iron, but iron is commonly believed to contribute to the progression of other forms of chronic liver disease such as hepatitis C infection and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In this review, we present data from cell culture experiments, animal models, and clinical studies that address the hepatotoxicity of iron. These data demonstrate that iron overload is only weakly fibrogenic in animal models and rarely causes serious liver damage in humans, calling into question the concept that iron overload is an important cause of hepatotoxicity. In situations where iron is pathogenic, iron-induced liver damage may be potentiated by coexisting inflammation, with the resulting hepatocyte necrosis an important factor driving the fibrogenic response. Based on the foregoing evidence that iron is less hepatotoxic than is generally assumed, claims that assign a causal role to iron in liver injury in either animal models or human liver disease should be carefully evaluated.
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16
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Czaja AJ. Review article: iron disturbances in chronic liver diseases other than haemochromatosis - pathogenic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2019; 49:681-701. [PMID: 30761559 DOI: 10.1111/apt.15173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Disturbances in iron regulation have been described in diverse chronic liver diseases other than hereditary haemochromatosis, and iron toxicity may worsen liver injury and outcome. AIMS To describe manifestations and consequences of iron dysregulation in chronic liver diseases apart from hereditary haemochromatosis and to encourage investigations that clarify pathogenic mechanisms, define risk thresholds for iron toxicity, and direct management METHODS: English abstracts were identified in PubMed by multiple search terms. Full length articles were selected for review, and secondary and tertiary bibliographies were developed. RESULTS Hyperferritinemia is present in 4%-65% of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, chronic viral hepatitis, or alcoholic liver disease, and hepatic iron content is increased in 11%-52%. Heterozygosity for the C282Y mutation is present in 17%-48%, but this has not uniformly distinguished patients with adverse outcomes. An inappropriately low serum hepcidin level has characterised most chronic liver diseases with the exception of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and the finding has been associated mainly with suppression of transcriptional activity of the hepcidin gene. Iron overload has been associated with oxidative stress, advanced fibrosis and decreased survival, and promising therapies beyond phlebotomy and oral iron chelation have included hepcidin agonists. CONCLUSIONS Iron dysregulation is common in chronic liver diseases other than hereditary haemochromatosis, and has been associated with liver toxicity and poor prognosis. Further evaluation of iron overload as a co-morbid factor should identify the key pathogenic disturbances, establish the risk threshold for iron toxicity, and promote molecular interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert J Czaja
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
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17
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Mehta KJ, Farnaud SJ, Sharp PA. Iron and liver fibrosis: Mechanistic and clinical aspects. World J Gastroenterol 2019; 25:521-538. [PMID: 30774269 PMCID: PMC6371002 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i5.521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is characterised by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix that interrupts normal liver functionality. It is a pathological stage in several untreated chronic liver diseases such as the iron overload syndrome hereditary haemochromatosis, viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and diabetes. Interestingly, regardless of the aetiology, iron-loading is frequently observed in chronic liver diseases. Excess iron can feed the Fenton reaction to generate unquenchable amounts of free radicals that cause grave cellular and tissue damage and thereby contribute to fibrosis. Moreover, excess iron can induce fibrosis-promoting signals in the parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells, which accelerate disease progression and exacerbate liver pathology. Fibrosis regression is achievable following treatment, but if untreated or unsuccessful, it can progress to the irreversible cirrhotic stage leading to organ failure and hepatocellular carcinoma, where resection or transplantation remain the only curative options. Therefore, understanding the role of iron in liver fibrosis is extremely essential as it can help in formulating iron-related diagnostic, prognostic and treatment strategies. These can be implemented in isolation or in combination with the current approaches to prepone detection, and halt or decelerate fibrosis progression before it reaches the irreparable stage. Thus, this review narrates the role of iron in liver fibrosis. It examines the underlying mechanisms by which excess iron can facilitate fibrotic responses. It describes the role of iron in various clinical pathologies and lastly, highlights the significance and potential of iron-related proteins in the diagnosis and therapeutics of liver fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosha J Mehta
- School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
- Division of Human Sciences, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London SE1 0AA, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastien Je Farnaud
- Faculty Research Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 2DS, United Kingdom
| | - Paul A Sharp
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Life Course Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London SE1 9NH, United Kingdom
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Dietary Iron Overload Abrogates Chemically-Induced Liver Cirrhosis in Rats. Nutrients 2018; 10:nu10101400. [PMID: 30279328 PMCID: PMC6213820 DOI: 10.3390/nu10101400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic liver disease is an intractable disease, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatic iron overload is considered to be involved in the progression of chronic liver diseases; however, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here we investigate the role of dietary iron overload using chemically-induced liver cirrhosis model. Rats were fed a high-iron or standard diet and were injected intraperitoneally with thioacetamide (TAA) or saline twice a week for 20 weeks. Rats with TAA treatment (TAA group) had progressive liver cirrhosis characterized by persistent hepatocellular injury, mononuclear cell inflammation and bridging fibrosis; these lesions were markedly reduced in rats with iron feeding and TAA treatment (Fe-TAA group). Rats with iron feeding alone (Fe group) had no evidence of liver injury. Hepatic expression of cleaved caspase-3, but not phospho-RIP3, was decreased in Fe-TAA group compared with that in TAA group. The number of TUNEL-positive (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) apoptotic hepatocytes was lower in the Fe-TAA group than in the TAA group. Hepatic xenobiotic metabolism and lipid peroxidation were shown to be less related to the abrogation of liver cirrhosis. Our results suggested that dietary hepatic iron overload abrogates chemically-induced liver cirrhosis in rats, which could partly involve decreased hepatocellular apoptosis.
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19
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Garcia-Casal MN, Pasricha SR, Martinez RX, Lopez-Perez L, Peña-Rosas JP. Are Current Serum and Plasma Ferritin Cut-offs for Iron Deficiency and Overload Accurate and Reflecting Iron Status? A Systematic Review. Arch Med Res 2018; 49:405-417. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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20
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Dietary Iron Supplementation Alters Hepatic Inflammation in a Rat Model of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Nutrients 2018; 10:nu10020175. [PMID: 29401710 PMCID: PMC5852751 DOI: 10.3390/nu10020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most common liver disease in the world. NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma. Acquired hepatic iron overload is seen in a number of patients with NAFLD; however, its significance in the pathology of NAFLD is still debated. Here, we investigated the role of dietary iron supplementation in experimental steatohepatitis in rats. Rats were fed a control, high-fat (HF), high-fat high-iron (HFHI) and high-iron (HI) diet for 30 weeks. Blood biochemical, histopathological and gut microbiota analyses were performed. Rats in HF and HFHI groups showed an ALT-dominant elevation of serum transaminases, hepatic steatosis, hepatic inflammation, and upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines. The number of large inflammatory foci, corresponding to lobular inflammation in NASH patients, was significantly higher in HFHI than in HF group; within the lesion, macrophages with intense iron staining were observed. Hepatic expression of TNFα was higher in HFHI than that in HF group. There was no significant change in hepatic oxidative stress, gut microbiota or serum endotoxin levels between HF and HFHI groups. These results suggested that dietary iron supplementation enhances experimental steatohepatitis induced by long-term high-fat diet feeding in rats. Iron-laden macrophages can play an important role in the enhancement of hepatic inflammation.
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21
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Zhang Y, Zhao X, Chang Y, Zhang Y, Chu X, Zhang X, Liu Z, Guo H, Wang N, Gao Y, Zhang J, Chu L. Calcium channel blockers ameliorate iron overload-associated hepatic fibrosis by altering iron transport and stellate cell apoptosis. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2016; 301:50-60. [PMID: 27095094 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2016.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2015] [Revised: 03/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is the principal cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with iron overload. Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) can antagonize divalent cation entry into renal and myocardial cells and inhibit fibrogenic gene expression. We investigated the potential of CCBs to resolve iron overload-associated hepatic fibrosis. Kunming mice were assigned to nine groups (n=8 per group): control, iron overload, deferoxamine, high and low dose verapamil, high and low dose nimodipine, and high and low dose diltiazem. Iron deposition and hepatic fibrosis were measured in mouse livers. Expression levels of molecules associated with transmembrane iron transport were determined by molecular biology approaches. In vitro HSC-T6 cells were randomized into nine groups (the same groups as the mice). Changes in proliferation, apoptosis, and metalloproteinase expression in cells were detected to assess the anti-fibrotic effects of CCBs during iron overload conditions. We found that CCBs reduced hepatic iron content, intracellular iron deposition, the number of hepatic fibrotic areas, collagen expression levels, and hydroxyproline content. CCBs rescued abnormal expression of α1C protein in L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel (LVDCC) and down-regulated divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT-1) expression in mouse livers. In iron-overloaded HSC-T6 cells, CCBs reduced iron deposition, inhibited proliferation, induced apoptosis, and elevated expression of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1). CCBs are potential therapeutic agents that can be used to address hepatic fibrosis during iron overload. They resolve hepatic fibrosis probably correlated with regulating transmembrane iron transport and inhibiting HSC growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China; Department of Pathology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Research on Cardio-Cerebrovascular Disease, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050051, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanzhong Chang
- Laboratory of Molecular Iron Metabolism, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Chu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Forth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenyi Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Guo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Wang
- Department of Physiology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonggang Gao
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianping Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China.
| | - Li Chu
- Department of Pharmacology, Hebei University of Chinese Medicine, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Integrative Medicine on Liver-Kidney Patterns, Shijiazhuang 050200, Hebei, People's Republic of China.
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Serum Ferritin in Patients With Cirrhosis is Associated With Markers of Liver Insufficiency and Circulatory Dysfunction, but Not of Portal Hypertension. J Clin Gastroenterol 2015; 49:784-9. [PMID: 25599219 DOI: 10.1097/mcg.0000000000000283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Iron overload is an increasingly recognized phenomenon in nonhemochromatosis cirrhosis. To evaluate the relationship between iron overload and liver insufficiency and portal hypertension. PATIENTS AND METHODS Cirrhotics with hepatic hemodynamic and ferritin measurement (within 30 d) were included. Exclusion criteria were malignancy (except hepatocellular carcinoma Milan-in), severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute events in the previous 2 weeks, immunosuppression, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt or portal vein thrombosis, and end-stage renal disease. Patients were followed-up until death or liver transplant. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used. RESULTS Fifty-one patients were included (male 61%; median age 57 y; interquartile range, 47 to 66 y); Child-Pugh A 11/B 25/C 15). A positive correlation was observed between ferritin and markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein: r=0.273, P=0.06 and aspartate aminotransferase: r=0.302, P=0.035). No correlation between ferritin and hepatic venous pressure gradient was seen. Negative correlations were observed between ferritin and circulatory dysfunction (mean arterial pressure: r=-0.360, P=0.014 and serum sodium: r=-0.419, P=0.002). In contrast, associations to markers of liver failure such as international normalized ratio (r=0.333, P=0.005), bilirubin (r=0.378, P=0.007), albumin (r=-0.265, P=0.082), model for end-stage liver disease (r=0.293, P=0.041), and Child-Pugh score (r=0.392, P=0.009) were observed. No differences in survival according to ferritin was detected. CONCLUSIONS In patients with cirrhosis, serum ferritin levels are associated with markers of liver insufficiency, inflammation, and circulatory dysfunction but not portal hypertension.
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Sikorska K, Romanowski T, Stalke P, Izycka Swieszewska E, Bielawski KP. Association of hepcidin mRNA expression with hepatocyte iron accumulation and effects of antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C infection. HEPATITIS MONTHLY 2014; 14:e21184. [PMID: 25598789 PMCID: PMC4286710 DOI: 10.5812/hepatmon.21184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 09/13/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Iron overload is frequently observed in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and is associated with the increased risk of liver fibrosis and carcinogenesis. Hepcidin is a regulator of iron homeostasis and a component of innate immunity. Based on experimental studies, iron overload might be a result of low hepcidin synthesis in CHC. OBJECTIVES The aim of this case-control study was to assess hepcidin mRNA expression in liver tissue of patients with CHC in terms of iron metabolism parameters, hemochromatosis (HFE) gene mutations, disease activity, and efficacy of antiviral treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 31 patients with CHC, who were qualified for antiviral therapy, were compared with 19 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In both groups, liver function tests and serum iron parameters were assayed and hepcidin mRNA expression was measured in liver specimens using real time PCR with normalization to reference genes mRNA of stable expression. RESULTS Patients with CHC had lower hepcidin mRNA expression and more frequently iron deposits in hepatocytes than subjects with CHB did. In CHC group, hepcidin mRNA expression was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase activity and serum iron concentration. Low expression of hepcidin had no correlation with tissue iron overload in those with CHC. In univariate analysis, HCV viral load and efficacy of antiviral treatment were not significantly associated with hepcidin mRNA expression. CONCLUSIONS Further studies on the role of hepcidin in pathogenesis of CHC are needed to assess the potency of its use in antiviral treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Sikorska
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of
Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
- Corresponding Author: Katarzyna Sikorska, Department
of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland. Tel: +48-583412887,
Fax: +48-5834128287, E-mail:
| | - Tomasz Romanowski
- Department of Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of
Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Piotr Stalke
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of
Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Ewa Izycka Swieszewska
- Department of Pathology and Neuropathology, Medical
University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Piotr Bielawski
- Department of Biotechnology, Intercollegiate Faculty of
Biotechnology, University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
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Sikorska K, Bernat A. Iron homeostasis and its regulators over the course of chronic hepatitis C. Future Virol 2014. [DOI: 10.2217/fvl.14.63] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Chronic infection with HCV has been diagnosed in approximately 170 million people worldwide. It is an important cause of chronic, progressive liver fibrosis. Late consequences of chronic HCV infection, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, have become the major indications for liver transplantation in developed countries. Particular attention is being paid to iron accumulation in chronic hepatitis C and its relation to the current antiviral therapy's efficacy and safety, risk of exacerbation of oxidative stress, development of metabolic disorders and hepatocarcinogenesis. HCV infection disrupts the synthesis of hepcidin, which regulates extracellular iron content. This article discusses the impact of iron on HCV multiplication and the involvement of impaired iron homeostasis in chronic hepatitis C in terms of the pathogenesis of insulin resistance, fatty liver and hepatocarcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Sikorska
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Gdansk. 80-214 Gdansk, Smoluchowskiego 18, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Bernat
- Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Gdansk & Medical University of Gdansk. 80-822 Gdansk, Kladki 24, Poland
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Vagu C, Sultana C, Ruta S. Serum iron markers in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. HEPATITIS MONTHLY 2013; 13:e13136. [PMID: 24348638 PMCID: PMC3842519 DOI: 10.5812/hepatmon.13136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) often have elevated serum iron markers, which may worsen liver injury. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the possible correlations between iron metabolism serum markers, HCV viral load, and liver disease severity in treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eighty five patients with untreated hepatitis C chronic infection were investigated. RESULTS Twenty one patients (24.7%) had elevated serum iron levels, and 29 subjects (34.1%) had severe liver fibrosis. Significantly elevated levels of serum iron (P < 0.05) and ferritin (P < 0.001), associated with lower levels of TIBC (P < 0.05) were detected in patients with severe fibrosis compared to no/mild fibrosis. Severe necroinflammatory activity was also significantly correlated with serum iron (P < 0.001), TIBC (P < 0.05), and ferritin levels (P < 0.001). Using multiple linear regression analysis, serum levels of ferritin and transferrin were the independent variables selected as being good predictors for advanced fibrosis and severe necroinflammatory activity. No significant correlations were detected between HCV viral load and iron markers. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed that serum iron markers (especially ferritin and transferrin) might be used as surrogate markers for both liver fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity.Patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) often have elevated serum iron markers, which may worsen liver injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Codruta Vagu
- Discipline of Biochemistry, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Camelia Sultana
- Department of Virology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Emergent Diseases Department, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Simona Ruta
- Department of Virology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
- Emergent Diseases Department, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania
- Corresponding author: Simona Ruta, Stefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, 285 Mihai Bravu Bvd, Bucharest, Romania. Tel/Fax: +40-213242590, E-mail:
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Liver fibrosis in young Egyptian beta-thalassemia major patients: relation to hepatitis C virus and compliance with chelation. Ann Hepatol 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/s1665-2681(19)31385-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
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Hino K, Nishina S, Hara Y. Iron metabolic disorder in chronic hepatitis C: insights from recent evidence. Clin J Gastroenterol 2012; 5:251-6. [PMID: 26182389 DOI: 10.1007/s12328-012-0323-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 07/07/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The liver is the major iron storage organ in the body, and therefore iron metabolic disorder is sometimes involved in chronic liver diseases. Chronic hepatitis C is one of the liver diseases that show hepatic iron accumulation. The present review highlights the current concept of hepatic iron overload status in chronic hepatitis C and discusses how iron metabolic disorder develops in this disease, and the impact of hepatic iron overload on disease progression and its relevance to hepatocarcinogenesis. The level of hepatic iron accumulation in chronic hepatitis C should be recognized to be basically mild to moderate and sometimes within the normal range. However, even mild to moderate iron overload in the liver contributes to disease progression and hepatocarcinogenesis in chronic hepatitis C, probably by reinforcing the oxidative stress induced by hepatitis C virus (HCV) protein. The mechanisms by which hepatic iron overload develops in chronic hepatitis C have not been fully elucidated. Reduction of the transcription activity of hepcidin by HCV-induced reactive oxygen species may in part account for it, but the regulation of hepcidin is very complex and may depend on many variables, including the particular stage of the systemic and/or hepatic inflammatory conditions and the circulating transferrin-bound iron and intracellular iron stores. This might explain the variations in hepatic iron concentrations reported among patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Hino
- Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushimam, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan.
| | - Sohji Nishina
- Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushimam, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan
| | - Yuichi Hara
- Department of Hepatology and Pancreatology, Kawasaki Medical School, 577 Matsushimam, Kurashiki, Okayama, 701-0192, Japan
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Atta M, Cabral M, Santos G, Paraná R, Atta A. Inflammation biomarkers in chronic hepatitis C: association with liver histopathology, HCV genotype and cryoglobulinemia. Inflamm Res 2012; 61:1101-6. [PMID: 22718074 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-012-0502-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2011] [Revised: 03/13/2012] [Accepted: 05/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This work investigated the profile of inflammation biomarkers in patients with chronic hepatitis C and its association with liver fibrosis, hepatic necroinflammatory activity, viral genotypes and cryoglobulinemia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Seventy-eight untreated patients were studied. Biomarker levels were determined by immunoassays, cryoglobulinemia by cryoprecipitation and liver histopathology investigated using METAVIR scores. RESULTS Decreased levels of α(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP), C3 and haptoglobin (Hp) were observed in the patients (P < 0.0001). Increased α(1)-antitrypsin (P < 0.01) and ferritin (P < 0.0001) levels were found in this group, but C-reactive protein (CRP) and C4 levels were unaltered. Alanine aminotransferase inversely correlated with Hp (P < 0.01) and AGP (P = 0.01), whereas it was directly correlated with ferritin (P < 0.05) and AGP (P < 0.0001). The levels of CRP, C3 and C4 were lower in the patients with hepatic necroinflammatory activity (P < 0.05). Patients with advanced fibrosis had low levels of Hp and AGP (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Neither infection with different viral genotypes nor cryoglobulinemia caused an alteration in biomarker levels. CONCLUSION Chronic hepatitis C virus infection alters the levels of some biomarkers, which are mainly observed in patients with liver fibrosis and hepatic necroinflammatory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Atta
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased liver iron stores may contribute to the progression of liver injury and fibrosis, and are associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma development. Pre-transplant symptoms of iron overload in patients with liver cirrhosis are associated with higher risk of infectious and malignant complications in liver transplant recipients. HFE gene mutations may be involved in the pathogenesis of liver iron overload and influence the progression of chronic liver diseases of different origins. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of iron overload in relation to HFE gene mutations among Polish patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS Sixty-one patients with liver cirrhosis included in the study were compared with a control group of 42 consecutive patients subjected to liver biopsy because of chronic liver diseases. Liver function tests and serum iron markers were assessed in both groups. All patients were screened for HFE mutations (C282Y, H63D, S65C). Thirty-six of 61 patients from the study group and all controls had liver biopsy performed with semiquantitative assessment of iron deposits in hepatocytes. RESULTS The biochemical markers of iron overload and iron deposits in the liver were detected with a higher frequency (70% and 47% respectively) in patients with liver cirrhosis. There were no differences in the prevalence of all HFE mutations in both groups. In patients with a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, no significant associations with iron disorders and HFE gene mutations were found. CONCLUSIONS Iron disorders were detected in patients with liver cirrhosis frequently but without significant association with HFE gene mutations. Only the homozygous C282Y mutation seems to occur more frequently in the selected population of patients with liver cirrhosis. As elevated biochemical iron indices accompanied liver iron deposits more frequently in liver cirrhosis compared to controls with chronic liver disease, there is a need for more extensive studies searching for the possible influence of non-HFE iron homeostasis regulators and their modulation on the course of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis.
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Fargion S, Valenti L, Fracanzani AL. Beyond hereditary hemochromatosis: new insights into the relationship between iron overload and chronic liver diseases. Dig Liver Dis 2011; 43:89-95. [PMID: 20739232 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2010.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2010] [Accepted: 07/22/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Following the model of hereditary hemochromatosis, the possible role of iron overload as a cofactor for disease progression in acquired liver diseases has been investigated with controversial results. In recent years, progress has been made in understanding the regulation of iron metabolism, thereby allowing the evaluation of the mechanisms linking liver diseases to excessive iron accumulation. Indeed, deregulation of the transcription of hepcidin, emerging as the master regulator of systemic iron metabolism, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatic iron overload in chronic liver diseases. Whatever the cause, hepatocellular iron deposition promotes liver fibrogenesis, while an emerging possible aggravating factor is represented by the strong link between iron stores and insulin resistance, a recently recognized risk factor for the progression of liver diseases. Overall, these pathogenic mechanisms, together with the known proliferative and mutagenic effect of excess iron, converge in determining an increased susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally, an association between serum ferritin levels and mortality in patients with end-stage liver disease has recently been reported. Prospective, randomized studies are required to evaluate whether iron depletion may reduce fibrosis progression, hepatocellular carcinoma development, and eventually mortality in patients with chronic liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Fargion
- The Department of Internal Medicine, Università degli Studi, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Ca' Granda IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
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Kell DB. Towards a unifying, systems biology understanding of large-scale cellular death and destruction caused by poorly liganded iron: Parkinson's, Huntington's, Alzheimer's, prions, bactericides, chemical toxicology and others as examples. Arch Toxicol 2010; 84:825-89. [PMID: 20967426 PMCID: PMC2988997 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-010-0577-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 286] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2010] [Accepted: 07/14/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to a variety of toxins and/or infectious agents leads to disease, degeneration and death, often characterised by circumstances in which cells or tissues do not merely die and cease to function but may be more or less entirely obliterated. It is then legitimate to ask the question as to whether, despite the many kinds of agent involved, there may be at least some unifying mechanisms of such cell death and destruction. I summarise the evidence that in a great many cases, one underlying mechanism, providing major stresses of this type, entails continuing and autocatalytic production (based on positive feedback mechanisms) of hydroxyl radicals via Fenton chemistry involving poorly liganded iron, leading to cell death via apoptosis (probably including via pathways induced by changes in the NF-κB system). While every pathway is in some sense connected to every other one, I highlight the literature evidence suggesting that the degenerative effects of many diseases and toxicological insults converge on iron dysregulation. This highlights specifically the role of iron metabolism, and the detailed speciation of iron, in chemical and other toxicology, and has significant implications for the use of iron chelating substances (probably in partnership with appropriate anti-oxidants) as nutritional or therapeutic agents in inhibiting both the progression of these mainly degenerative diseases and the sequelae of both chronic and acute toxin exposure. The complexity of biochemical networks, especially those involving autocatalytic behaviour and positive feedbacks, means that multiple interventions (e.g. of iron chelators plus antioxidants) are likely to prove most effective. A variety of systems biology approaches, that I summarise, can predict both the mechanisms involved in these cell death pathways and the optimal sites of action for nutritional or pharmacological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas B Kell
- School of Chemistry and the Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, The University of Manchester, Manchester M1 7DN, UK.
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Poynard T, Afdhal NH. Perspectives on fibrosis progression in hepatitis C: an à la carte approach to risk factors and staging of fibrosis. Antivir Ther 2010; 15:281-91. [PMID: 20516548 DOI: 10.3851/imp1535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The morbidity and mortality of chronic hepatitis C is related to progressive fibrosis and the development of cirrhosis. The development of fibrosis in patients with HCV is highly influenced by immune status, host response to the virus and associated factors, such as, age, sex, alcohol intake, diabetes, obesity and coinfection with other viruses. The rate of fibrosis progression differs depending on several factors, including the stage of fibrosis and the time since infection. Routine assessment of fibrosis through biopsy every 3-5 years has poor patient acceptance and reliability, and might result in missed opportunities to improve or modify treatment priorities. Enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology of liver fibrosis in HCV infection has led to the development of a number of non-invasive assessment modalities. The ideal test would discriminate fibrosis in the categories none/early (stages 0/1), intermediate (stage 2) and advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis (stages 3/4) and be readily available, inexpensive and accurate. Biomarker tests utilize individual or combined serum markers to determine the degree of fibrosis. Other strategies combine biomarkers with clinical variables, such as patient age or utilize liver imaging or functional assessments. Incorporation of appropriately validated non-invasive assessments of liver fibrosis will likely improve the clinical care of patients with HCV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Poynard
- Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière AP-HP, University Paris 6, Paris, France
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Pereira PDSF, Silva ISDSE, Uehara SNDO, Emori CT, Lanzoni VP, Silva AEB, Ferraz MLG. Chronic hepatitis C: hepatic iron content does not correlate with response to antiviral therapy. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2010; 51:331-6. [PMID: 20209268 DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46652009000600004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2009] [Accepted: 10/28/2009] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex interaction between hepatitis C virus infection, iron homeostasis and the response to antiviral treatment remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of hepatic iron concentration (HIC) on the sustained virological response (SVR) to antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. A total of 50 patients who underwent pretreatment liver biopsy with assessment of HIC by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy and were subsequently submitted to antiviral treatment with interferon/peginterferon and ribavirin were included in the study. Patients with alcoholism, history of multiple blood transfusion, chronic kidney disease, hemolytic anemia and parenteral iron therapy were excluded. The iron related markers and HIC were compared between those who achieved an SVR and non-responders (NR) patients. The mean age was 45.7 years and the proportion of patients' gender was not different between SVR and NR patients. The median serum iron was 138 and 134 microg/dL (p = 0.9), the median serum ferritin was 152.5 and 179.5 ng/mL (p = 0.87) and the median HIC was 9.9 and 8.2 micromol/g dry tissue (p = 0.51), for SVR and NR patients, respectively. Thus, hepatic iron concentration, determined by a reliable quantitative method, was not a negative predictive factor of SVR in patients with chronic hepatitis C presenting mild to moderate hepatic iron accumulation.
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Szurowska E, Sikorska K, Izycka-Swieszewska E, Nowicki T, Romanowski T, Bielawski KP, Studniarek M. The role of MR imaging in detection of hepatic iron overload in patients with cirrhosis of different origins. BMC Gastroenterol 2010; 10:13. [PMID: 20105330 PMCID: PMC2834605 DOI: 10.1186/1471-230x-10-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2009] [Accepted: 01/27/2010] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There are many pathological conditions with hepatic iron overload. Classical definite diagnostic methods of these disorders are invasive and based on a direct tissue biopsy material. For the last years the role of MR imaging in liver diagnostics has been increasing. MRI shows changes of liver intensity in patients with hepatic iron overload. Changes in MR signal are an indirect consequence of change of relaxation times T2 and T2*, that can be directly measured. The purpose of the study was to evaluate usefulness of MR imaging in the detection of hepatic iron overload in patients with cirrhosis of different origins. Methods MR imaging at 1.5T was prospectively performed in 44 patients with liver cirrhosis who had undergone liver biopsy with histopathological assessment of hepatic iron deposits. In all patients the following sequences were used: SE, Express, GRE in T2 and T1-weighted images. Signal intensity (SI) was measured on images obtained with each T2 weighted sequence by means of regions of interest, placed in the liver and paraspinal muscles. The correlation between iron overload, histopathological score, serum ferritin and SI ratio was analyzed. Results In 20 patients with iron overload confirmed by the biopsy, the liver parenchyma demonstrated lower signal intensity than that of paraspinal muscles. This effect was visible only in 8 patients with hepatic iron overload in Express T2-weighted images. Higher signal intensity of liver than that of skeletal muscles on GRE - T2 weighted images was noted in 24 patients with cirrhosis and without elevated hepatic iron concentration. We observed a correlation between low and high iron concentration and liver to muscle SI ratio. Conclusion MR imaging is a useful and fast noninvasive diagnostic tool for the detection of liver iron overload in patients with cirrhosis of different origins. Liver to muscle SI ratio in GRE-T2-weighted sequence facilitates to differentiate patients with low and high degree of hepatic iron overload, which correlates with the origin of liver cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edyta Szurowska
- Department of Radiology, Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 7, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland.
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Girelli D, Pasino M, Goodnough JB, Nemeth E, Guido M, Castagna A, Busti F, Campostrini N, Martinelli N, Vantini I, Corrocher R, Ganz T, Fattovich G. Reduced serum hepcidin levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C. J Hepatol 2009; 51:845-52. [PMID: 19729219 PMCID: PMC2761995 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2009.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2009] [Revised: 06/17/2009] [Accepted: 06/21/2009] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) often have increased liver iron, a condition associated with reduced sustained response to antiviral therapy, more rapid progression to cirrhosis, and development of hepatocellular carcinoma. The hepatic hormone hepcidin is the major regulator of iron metabolism and inhibits iron absorption and recycling from erythrophagocytosis. Hepcidin decrease is a possible pathophysiological mechanism of iron overload in CHC, but studies in humans have been hampered so far by the lack of reliable quantitative assays for the 25-amino acid bioactive peptide in serum (s-hepcidin). METHODS Using a recently validated immunoassay, we measured s-hepcidin levels in 81 untreated CHC patients and 57 controls with rigorous definition of normal iron status. All CHC patients underwent liver biopsy with histological iron score. RESULTS s-hepcidin was significantly lower in CHC patients than in controls (geometric means with 95% confidence intervals: 33.7, 21.5-52.9 versus 90.9, 76.1-108.4 ng/mL, respectively; p<0.001). In CHC patients, s-hepcidin significantly correlated with serum ferritin and histological total iron score, but not with s-interleukin-6. After stratification for ferritin quartiles, s-hepcidin increased significantly across quartiles in both controls and CHC patients (chi for trend, p<0.001). However, in CHC patients, s-hepcidin was significantly lower than in controls for each corresponding quartile (analysis of variance, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS These results, together with very recent studies in animal and cellular models, indicate that although hepcidin regulation by iron stores is maintained in CHC, the suppression of this hormone by hepatitis C virus is likely an important factor in liver iron accumulation in this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenico Girelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Verona, Italy.
| | - Michela Pasino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy,Department of Anesthesiological and Surgical Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Julia B. Goodnough
- Department of Medicine and Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeta Nemeth
- Department of Medicine and Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maria Guido
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences & Special Therapies, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Annalisa Castagna
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Fabiana Busti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Natascia Campostrini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Nicola Martinelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Italo Vantini
- Department of Biomedical and Surgical Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Corrocher
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Tomas Ganz
- Department of Medicine and Pathology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Giovanna Fattovich
- Department of Anesthesiological and Surgical Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Factors associated with hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C: a retrospective study of a large cohort of U.S. patients. J Clin Gastroenterol 2009; 43:758-64. [PMID: 19238091 DOI: 10.1097/mcg.0b013e31818be17c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
GOALS To determine the risk factors for stage 3 and 4 fibrosis in a large cohort of U.S. patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). BACKGROUND Multiple host and viral factors affect the outcomes of CHC. Further defining the pathogenic roles of these factors in CHC progression will lead to improving management of this disease. STUDY Retrospective study of a large cohort of US patients with CHC. RESULTS Of the 460 patients, 331 were males and 129 were females with mean age of 48.4+/-8.0 years, and 191 (41.7%) had stage 3 and 4 fibrosis. Clinically, a multivariate analysis revealed that age of > or =60 years at presentation, the estimated duration of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection > or =25 years, a body mass index > or =30 kg/m, and a history of diabetes mellitus were independently associated with stage 3 and 4 fibrosis, after adjusting for history of alcohol use. Laboratorially, a multivariate analysis revealed that aspartate aminotransferase (AST) > or =2 x upper limit of normal (ULN), alpha fetoprotein > or =15 microg/L, and presence of grade 2 and 3 steatosis were independently associated with stage 3 and 4 fibrosis, after adjusting for alanine aminotransferase > or =2 x upper limit of normal, AST/alanine aminotransferase ratio > or =1, HCV genotyping, transferrin saturation, and a histology activity index score > or =7. CONCLUSIONS The present study indicated that elderly, longer duration of HCV infection, obesity, and history of diabetes mellitus are independent clinical parameters associated with advanced fibrosis, whereas elevated AST, alpha fetoprotein, and presence of grade 2 and 3 steatosis are independent laboratorial parameters associated with stage 3 and 4 fibrosis in patients with CHC.
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Valenti L, Guido M, Dongiovanni P, Cremonesi L, Fracanzani AL, Fargion S. Ferroportin-1 in the recurrence of hepatic iron overload after liver transplantation. Dig Liver Dis 2009; 41:e17-20. [PMID: 18337195 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2008.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2007] [Revised: 01/17/2008] [Accepted: 01/31/2008] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic siderosis is frequent in patients with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic hepatitis and considered secondary to advanced liver disease when detected in the explanted liver of cirrhotic patients submitted to transplantation. Here, we document the early recurrence of hepatic iron overload starting from host Kupffer cells and later involving hepatocytes in an Italian male submitted to liver transplantation for HCV-related cirrhosis, whose hemosiderosis was interpreted as related to a primary defect of iron handling by monocytic cells due to decreased Ferroportin-1 expression. He was negative for HFE mutations, had normal liver function, did not drink alcohol and had no erythropoietic defect. He was positive for the (CGG)(8/9) and the IVS1 -24 G>C Ferroportin-1 polymorphisms, associated with non-parenchymal iron overload, and had decreased Ferroportin-1 expression in monocytes. In conclusion, this case report documents the recurrence of progressive liver siderosis, which recalls Ferroportin disease, associated with decreased Ferroportin-1 expression in host monocytes repopulating the donor liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Valenti
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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Ferrara F, Ventura P, Vegetti A, Guido M, Abbati G, Corradini E, Fattovich G, Ferrari C, Tagliazucchi M, Carbonieri A, Orlandini A, Fagiuoli S, Boninsegna S, Minola E, Rizzo G, Belussi F, Felder M, Massari M, Pozzato G, Bonetto S, Rovere P, Sardini C, Borghi A, Zeneroli ML, Toniutto P, Rossi E, Pietrangelo A. Serum ferritin as a predictor of treatment outcome in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Am J Gastroenterol 2009; 104:605-16. [PMID: 19209167 DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2008.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) involves ribavirin, a hemolytic agent. We planned a prospective study to evaluate whether drug-induced iron perturbation is clinically relevant as it relates to therapeutic outcome. METHODS Iron variables were sequentially assessed in 206 CHC patients undergoing antiviral therapy and were correlated with pretreatment iron status and histology, hemolysis, and therapeutic outcome. RESULTS At week 1 of therapy, serum iron (SI), transferrin saturation (TS), and serum ferritin (SF) increased markedly in all patients. All iron parameters correlated with hemolysis up to week 4; this correlation was lost for SF at later time points. SF rise during treatment was inversely related to baseline SF and iron deposits in hepatic mesenchymal/Kupffer cells. Both baseline SF and mesenchymal iron significantly correlated with fibrosis at multivariate analysis (P=0.015 and 0.008, respectively). Interestingly, baseline SF, despite good specificity (89%), had low sensitivity in predicting siderosis (25%). During therapy, SI, TS, and hemolysis parameters did not correlate with sustained virological response (SVR), whereas SF rise became an independent predictor of therapeutic response: a 2.5-fold increase of SF at week 12 associated with higher likelihood of SVR (odds ratio 1.91, P=0.032). Accordingly, lack of mesenchymal iron deposits at the baseline biopsy correlated with SVR (odds ratio 3.02, P=0.043). CONCLUSIONS In CHC, SF is a useful marker for assessing disease duration and progression before starting treatment and for predicting therapeutic response while on therapy. SF rise during antiviral therapy is largely independent of hemolysis and likely indicates activation of macrophages in response to antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Ferrara
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Hemochromatosis, University Hospital of Modena, Italy
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Bergmann OM, Mathahs MM, Broadhurst KA, Weydert JA, Wilkinson N, Howe JR, Han O, Schmidt WN, Brown KE. Altered expression of iron regulatory genes in cirrhotic human livers: clues to the cause of hemosiderosis? J Transl Med 2008; 88:1349-57. [PMID: 18838961 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2008.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatic iron deposition unrelated to hereditary hemochromatosis occurs commonly in cirrhosis but the pathogenesis of this condition is unknown. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of genes involved in the regulation of iron metabolism in cirrhotic (n=22) and control human livers (n=5). Transcripts were quantitated by real-time RT-PCR and protein levels were assessed by western blot. Hepatic iron concentrations (HICs) were measured by a spectrophotometric method. Levels of hepcidin mRNA did not differ between controls and cirrhotic livers; there was a highly significant correlation between hepcidin transcript levels and HIC in the latter group. Ferroportin, divalent metal transporter-1 (DMT1), and ferritin heavy chain mRNA levels were significantly higher in cirrhotic human livers than in controls (P=0.007, 0.039, and 0.025, respectively). By western blot, ferroportin and DMT1 levels were generally diminished in the cirrhotic livers compared to controls; neither correlated with HIC. In contrast, the abundance of ferritin increased with increasing HIC in the cirrhotic livers, whereas transferrin receptor decreased, indicating physiologically appropriate regulation. In conclusion, hepcidin expression appears to be appropriately responsive to iron status in cirrhosis. However, there are complex alterations in DMT1 and ferroportin expression in cirrhotic liver, including decreases in ferroportin and DMT1 at the protein level that may play a role in aberrant regulation of iron metabolism in cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ottar M Bergmann
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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Petta S, Cammà C, Di Marco V, Alessi N, Cabibi D, Caldarella R, Licata A, Massenti F, Tarantino G, Marchesini G, Craxì A. Insulin resistance and diabetes increase fibrosis in the liver of patients with genotype 1 HCV infection. Am J Gastroenterol 2008; 103:1136-44. [PMID: 18477344 DOI: 10.1111/j.1572-0241.2008.01813.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Metabolic factors may affect the course of chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Insulin resistance (IR) determines steatosis, but its direct role in affecting progression of hepatic fibrosis is less clear. We aimed to assess whether increasing degrees of IR, up to overt diabetes, are linked to steatosis and higher stages of fibrosis in patients with CHC resulting from genotype 1 HCV (G1-HCV). METHODS Two hundred one consecutive patients with G1-HCV infection were evaluated by liver biopsy and anthropometric and metabolic measurements, including IR, by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Nondiabetic patients were defined as insulin resistant if HOMA-IR was >2.7. All biopsies were scored by one pathologist for staging and grading (Scheuer), and graded for steatosis. RESULTS Ninety-six patients were noninsulin resistant (group 1), 76 were insulin resistant without diabetes (group 2), and 29 were diabetic (group 3). At multivariate analysis, fibrosis of >/=3 was independently associated with high necroinflammatory activity (odds ratio [OR] 2.994, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.422-6.098), low platelets (OR 0.994, 95% CI 0.981-0.999), low cholesterol (OR 0.987, 95% CI 0.976-0.998), high ferritin (OR 1.002, 95% CI 1.001-1.004), and a high prevalence of IR (OR 2.692, 95% CI 1.463-4.954). Diabetic patients were twice as likely to have severe fibrosis (60%) than those with IR but no diabetes (30%) (P= 0.006). The degree of steatosis and that of fibrosis were weakly associated with each other (P= 0.42). CONCLUSIONS In subjects with CHC resulting from G1-HCV, IR and overt diabetes are major determinants of advanced fibrosis, regardless of the degree of steatosis, mainly in the presence of severe necroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Petta
- Cattedra ed Unità Operativa di Gastroenterologia, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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Abstract
Children with severe chronic hemolytic anemia or congenital erythroblastopenia are transfusion dependent. Long-term transfusion therapy prolongs life but results in a toxic accumulation of iron in the organs. The human body cannot actively eliminate excess iron. Therefore, the use of a chelating agent is required to promote excretion of iron. So far, iron chelation has been done by subcutaneous infusion of deferoxamine given over 10 h, 5-6 days per week. Compliance is poor and chelation often insufficient. Ferritin measurements and sometimes liver biopsies are used to evaluate the iron burden in the body. At the present time, new iron chelators that can be given orally are available. Furthermore, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of tissue iron is a noninvasive and highly reproducible method, which is able to quantitate organ iron burden. In conclusion, iron overload can be measured more accurately with noninvasive methods such as MRI. Deferasirox is a once-daily oral therapy for treating transfusional iron overload, which improves patient compliance and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Vermylen
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, B 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
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Valenti L, Dongiovanni P, Fargion S, Fracanzani AL. Iron genes, dysmetabolism and fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C. J Hepatol 2008; 48:513-4; author reply 514-5. [PMID: 18194822 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2007.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Avila RED, Farah KDP, Lambertucci JR. Hepatic siderosis in a patient with hepatitis C on hemodialysis. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2008; 40:690-1. [PMID: 18200427 DOI: 10.1590/s0037-86822007000600019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Renata Eliane de Avila
- Serviço de Doenças Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG
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Abstract
Iron is an essential element involved in various biological pathways. When present in excess within the cell, iron can be toxic due to its ability to catalyse the formation of damaging radicals, which promote cellular injury and cell death. Within the liver, iron related oxidative stress can lead to fibrosis and ultimately to cirrhosis. Here we review the role of excessive iron in the pathologies associated with various chronic diseases of the liver. We also describe the molecular mechanism by which iron contributes to the development of hepatic fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-A Philippe
- Hepatic Fibrosis Group, The Queensland Institute of Medical Research, PO Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane 4029, Australia
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Abstract
Although progress in imaging and genetics allow for a noninvasive diagnosis of most cases of genetic iron overload, liver pathology remains often useful (1) to assess prognosis by grading fibrosis and seeking for associated lesions and (2) to guide the etiological diagnosis, especially when no molecular marker is available. Then, the type of liver siderosis (parenchymal, mesenchymal or mixed) and its distribution throughout the lobule and the liver are useful means for suggesting its etiology: HLA-linked hemochromatosis gene (HFE) hemochromatosis or other rare genetic hemochromatosis, nonhemochromatotic genetic iron overload (ferroportin disease, aceruloplasminemia), or iron overload secondary to excessive iron supply, inflammatory syndrome, noncirrhotic chronic liver diseases including dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome, cirrhosis, and blood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Deugnier
- Liver Unit and CIC INSERM 0203, Pontchaillou University Hospital, Rennes 35033, France.
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