1
|
Vesterhus M, Nielsen MJ, Hov JR, Saffioti F, Manon-Jensen T, Leeming DJ, Moum B, Boberg KM, Pinzani M, Karlsen TH, Karsdal MA, Thorburn D. Comprehensive assessment of ECM turnover using serum biomarkers establishes PBC as a high-turnover autoimmune liver disease. JHEP Rep 2020; 3:100178. [PMID: 33225252 PMCID: PMC7666353 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background & Aims Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are phenotypically distinct autoimmune liver diseases that progress to cirrhosis and liver failure; however, their histological fibrosis distribution differs. We investigated the extracellular matrix (ECM) profiles of patients with PSC, PBC, and AIH to establish whether the diseases display differential patterns of ECM turnover. Methods Serum samples were retrospectively collected from the UK (test cohort; PSC n = 78; PBC n = 74; AIH n = 58) and Norway (validation cohort; PSC n = 138; PBC n = 28; AIH n = 27). Patients with ulcerative colitis without liver disease (n = 194) served as controls. We assessed specific serological biomarkers of ECM turnover: type III and V collagen formation (PRO-C3, PRO-C5), degradation of type III and IV collagen (C3M, C4M), biglycan (BGM) and citrullinated vimentin (VICM). Results Most of the ECM markers showed elevated serum levels in PBC compared with PSC or AIH (p <0.01). PRO-C3 correlated well with liver stiffness and showed the most striking differences between advanced and non-advanced liver disease; several of the other ECM markers were also associated with stage. PRO-C3 and other ECM markers were inversely associated with ursodeoxycholic acid treatment response in PBC and remission in AIH. All ECM remodelling markers were significantly elevated (p <0.05) in patients with PSC, PBC, or AIH compared with ulcerative colitis. Conclusions In this first study comparing ECM turnover in autoimmune liver diseases, we found increased ECM turnover in PBC compared with either PSC or AIH. The study indicates that ECM remodelling is different in PSC, PBC, and AIH, suggesting differing opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Lay summary The level of scarring is linked to prognosis in autoimmune liver diseases such as primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and autoimmune hepatitis; hence, the scarring process is a possible target for novel therapy. Investigating the scarring process using highly specific technology, we show that the scarring process is different between the 3 autoimmune liver diseases, and this may have important implications for the development of medical treatment. Serological biomarkers specifically targeting extracellular matrix remodelling enable evaluation of the dynamics of fibrosis evolution. ECM turnover was increased in PBC compared with PSC and AIH. ECM markers, particularly PRO-C3, were associated with disease stage in the autoimmune liver diseases and with clinical outcome in PSC.
Collapse
Key Words
- AIH, autoimmune hepatitis
- ALP, alkaline phosphatase
- ALT, alanine aminotransferase
- APRI, AST to platelet ratio index
- AST, aspartate aminotransferase
- AUROC, area under the receiver operator characteristics curve
- BGM, marker of biglycan degradation
- Biomarker
- C3M, marker of type III collagen degradation
- C4M, marker of type IV collagen degradation
- CI, confidence interval
- ECM, extracellular matrix
- ELF, enhanced liver fibrosis
- Fibrosis
- GGT, gamma glutamyltransferase
- HYA, hyaluronic acid
- IBD, inflammatory bowel disease
- INR, international normalised ratio
- LSM, liver stiffness measurement
- PBC, primary biliary cholangitis
- PIIINP, N-terminal procollagen type III
- PRO-C3
- PRO-C3, marker of type III collagen formation
- PRO-C5, marker of type V collagen formation
- PSC, primary sclerosing cholangitis
- Primary biliary cholangitis
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
- TE, transient elastography
- TIMP-1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase
- UC, ulcerative colitis
- VICM, marker of citrullinated vimentin degradation
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mette Vesterhus
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Internal Medicine, Haraldsplass Deaconess Hospital, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Johannes Roksund Hov
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Francesca Saffioti
- UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine, University College London & Royal Free Hospital, London, UK.,Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | | | | | - Bjørn Moum
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Division of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirsten Muri Boberg
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | - Massimo Pinzani
- UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine, University College London & Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| | - Tom Hemming Karlsen
- Norwegian PSC Research Center, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Division of Surgery, Inflammatory Diseases and Transplantation, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,Research Institute of Internal Medicine, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Douglas Thorburn
- UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, Division of Medicine, University College London & Royal Free Hospital, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|