The novel immunoregulatory molecule FGL2: A potential biomarker for severity of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

• Published in: Journal of hepatology 2010-10, Vol.53 (4), p.608-615
• Main Authors: Foerster, Katharina, Helmy, Ahmed, Zhu, Yi, Khattar, Ramzi, Adeyi, Oyedele A, Wong, Kit Man, Shalev, Itay, Clark, David A, Wong, Pui-Yuen, Heathcote, Elizabeth J, Phillips, Melville J, Grant, David R, Renner, Eberhard L, Levy, Gary A, Selzner, Nazia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; Female; FGL2; Fibrinogen - analysis; Fibrinogen - immunology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; HCV; Hepatitis C, Chronic - blood; Hepatitis C, Chronic - immunology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - blood; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Treg cells; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis
• ISSN: 0168-8278; 1600-0641
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2010.04.020

Background & Aims This report describes the use of a novel sensitive and specific ELISA for the measurement of human fibrinogen-like protein 2 (FGL2/fibroleukin), a novel effector of natural regulatory T (Treg) cells, to predict the course of chronic hepatitis C viral infection (HCV). Methods Plasma levels of FGL2 were measured in HCV patients and compared to healthy controls and to patients with alcoholic liver disease. Results FGL2 levels were significantly higher in HCV patients (84.3 ± 89.1 ng/ml, n = 80) compared to healthy controls (36.4 ± 21.9 ng/ml, n = 30, p