Association with Serum Collagen Remodeling Factors and Progression of Liver Disease

It is difficult to assume the grade of liver fibrosis from liver function test in the patients with chronic liver diseases, if histological aproach is not performed. Therefore, in order to clarify an association of serum collagen remodeling factors with liver fibrosis, serum levels of α_2-macroglobuline (α_2M), α_1-antitrypsin (α_1AT) and inter-α-trypsine inhibitor (IαTI), and histological changes of fibrosis were studied comparatively among the cases with chronic liver diseases. More over, the relationship between serum levels of α_2M or α_1AT, and serum prolyl hydroxylase activity was studied. Serum levels of α_2M and α_1AT were elevated mostly in the patients with chronic active hepatitis accompanied with lobular disorganization and active stage cirrhosis. On the other hand, these proteins having antiproteinase activity decreased among the cases carrying decompensated liver cirrhosis. Serum level of IαTI was not changed in the patients with chronic liver diseases. In conclusion, our results pointed out the usefulness to determine serum proteins concerned with proteinase inhibitors, in order to suggest the fibrosis which happened in chronic liver diseases.