Fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) as predictive values for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) as predictive values for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

AU - Wagner, Jonas

AU - Kumar, Yogesh

AU - Lautenbach, Anne

AU - von Kroge, Philipp

AU - Wolter, Stefan

AU - Mann, Oliver

AU - Izbicki, Jakob

AU - Gagliani, Nicola

AU - Duprée, Anna

N1 - © 2022. The Author(s).

PY - 2023/1/6

Y1 - 2023/1/6

N2 - BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), especially nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) increases the risk for liver cirrhosis. Noninvasive tests for NAFLD/NASH exist, but they are unreliable and thus liver biopsy remains the standard for diagnosis and new noninvasive diagnostic approaches are of great interest. The aim of this study was to test whether the serum levels of fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) could be used as a diagnostic tool for NASH.METHODS: Patients who underwent bariatric surgery and simultaneous liver biopsy were identified. Biopsies were assigned a NAFLD activity score (NAS). MMP9- and FABP4- Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) on serum samples were performed. The serum levels of FABP4/MMP9 were compared and different models to predict NASH were developed.RESULTS: A total of 84 patients were included, 28 patients (33.3%) were diagnosed with NASH. Higher concentrations of MMP9 in NASH patients (p < 0.01) were detected. FABP4 concentrations were not significantly increased. A moderate correlation between the NAS and MMP9 concentrations (r = 0.32, P < 0.01) was observed. The neural network model fit best with the dataset, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 83% and an accuracy of 88%.CONCLUSION: Serum MMP9 levels are increased in patients with NASH and should routinely be measured in patients with obesity, but further investigations are needed to improve noninvasive NASH diagnosis.

AB - BACKGROUND: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), especially nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) increases the risk for liver cirrhosis. Noninvasive tests for NAFLD/NASH exist, but they are unreliable and thus liver biopsy remains the standard for diagnosis and new noninvasive diagnostic approaches are of great interest. The aim of this study was to test whether the serum levels of fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) could be used as a diagnostic tool for NASH.METHODS: Patients who underwent bariatric surgery and simultaneous liver biopsy were identified. Biopsies were assigned a NAFLD activity score (NAS). MMP9- and FABP4- Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) on serum samples were performed. The serum levels of FABP4/MMP9 were compared and different models to predict NASH were developed.RESULTS: A total of 84 patients were included, 28 patients (33.3%) were diagnosed with NASH. Higher concentrations of MMP9 in NASH patients (p < 0.01) were detected. FABP4 concentrations were not significantly increased. A moderate correlation between the NAS and MMP9 concentrations (r = 0.32, P < 0.01) was observed. The neural network model fit best with the dataset, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 83% and an accuracy of 88%.CONCLUSION: Serum MMP9 levels are increased in patients with NASH and should routinely be measured in patients with obesity, but further investigations are needed to improve noninvasive NASH diagnosis.

KW - Humans

KW - Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

KW - Matrix Metalloproteinase 9

KW - Liver Cirrhosis/pathology

KW - Obesity/pathology

KW - Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins

KW - Biopsy

KW - Liver/pathology

KW - Biomarkers

U2 - 10.1186/s12944-022-01764-1

DO - 10.1186/s12944-022-01764-1

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 36609276

VL - 22

SP - 1

JO - LIPIDS HEALTH DIS

JF - LIPIDS HEALTH DIS

SN - 1476-511X

IS - 1

ER -