Role of transforming growth factor-beta in the development of some liver diseases

Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-Β1) in the liver tissue of patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Materials and methods. Liver biopsy specimens were histologically and immunohistologically examined in 37 patients with verified liver diseases (12 with AIH, 15 with PBC, and 10 with CHC)/RESULTS: The expression of TGF-Β1 in the non-parenchymal liver cells of the patients with AIH and PBC with liver cirrhosis was statistically significantly higher than in those without the latter (p=0.01 and p=0.04, respectively). There was a positive relationship between the stage of fibrosis and the absolute content TGF-Β1 and CD68+ cells in the portal tracts (r=0.51). The higher expression of TGF-Β1 was found in the patients with HCV and AIH than in those with PBC (р=0.03 and р

Keywords

• autoimmune hepatitis
• primary biliary cirrhosis
• chronic hepatitis c
• macrophages
• transforming growth factor-beta
• pathogenesis
• fibrosis