Serum omentin-1 is correlated with the severity of liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Abstract

Background: Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have increased serum omentin-1. Omentin-1 is an anti-inflammatory adipokine, and higher levels may be a direct effect of HCV infection. Successful elimination of HCV by direct acting antivirals almost normalized circulating levels of various molecules with a role in inflammation.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of HCV infection on serum omentin-1, serum omentin-1 levels of HCV patients were measured before therapy and at 12 wk after therapy end. Associations of serum omentin-1 with parameters of inflammation and liver function were explored at both time points. Serum omentin-1 levels of patients with and without liver cirrhosis, which was defined by ultrasound or the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score, were compared.

Methods: Serum omentin-1 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 84 chronic HCV patients before therapy and at 12 wk after therapy end where sustained virological response 12 (SVR12) was achieved in all patients. Serum omentin-1 of 14 non-infected controls was measured in parallel.

Results: In patients with chronic HCV, serum omentin-1 levels were not related to viral load or viral genotype. HCV patients with liver steatosis and HCV patients with diabetes had serum omentin-1 levels comparable to patients not suffering from these conditions. Serum omentin-1 levels at SVR12 were similar in comparison to pretreatment levels. In addition, serum levels did not differ between HCV-infected patients and non-infected controls. Serum omentin-1 levels did not correlate with leukocyte count or C-reactive protein. Positive correlations of serum omentin-1 with bilirubin and the model for end-stage liver disease score (MELD) were detected before therapy and at SVR12 in the whole cohort. Bilirubin and the MELD score also positively correlated with serum omentin-1 levels in the subgroup of patients with ultrasound diagnosed liver cirrhosis before therapy. At SVR12, serum omentin-1 levels of patients with liver cirrhosis negatively correlated with albumin. Before therapy start, patients with high FIB-4 scores had increased serum omentin-1 in comparison to patients with a low score. Serum omentin-1 levels of patients with liver cirrhosis defined by ultrasound were increased at baseline and at SVR12.

Conclusion: Present study showed that liver cirrhosis, but not HCV infection per se, is related to elevated serum omentin-1 levels.

Keywords: Adipokine; Direct acting antivirals; Hepatitis C; Liver cirrhosis.

Figure 1

Serum omentin-1 levels of controls and patients with chronic hepatitis C virus. A: Serum omentin-1 Levels of 14 controls and 84 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV); B: Serum omentin-1 levels of 37 female and 47 male HCV patients; C: Serum omentin-1 levels of 15 patients with and 69 patients without diabetes; D: Serum omentin-1 levels of 38 patients with and 46 patients without steatosis; E: Serum omentin-1 levels of patients categorized for HCV genotype (Rare group signifies 8 patients with genotypes other than 1a, 1b, and 3a). The small circles or asterisks above the boxes mark outliers.

Figure 2

Serum omentin-1 levels during direct acting antiviral therapy. Omentin-1 serum levels before therapy start (Before), at 4 wk after therapy start (4w), at therapy end (End) and at sustained virological response 12 (SVR12). Small circles or asterisks above the boxes mark outliers.

Figure 3

Serum omentin-1 in relation to liver fibrosis. A: Serum omentin-1 levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with liver cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic patients, which was diagnosed by ultrasound before therapy; B: Serum omentin-1 levels of HCV patients categorized according to the fibrosis-4 score (26 patients no fibrosis = No; 18 patients had intermediate values = IMV, 40 patients had fibrosis = Yes) before therapy; C: Serum omentin-1 levels of HCV patients without and with liver cirrhosis, which was diagnosed by ultrasound, at sustained virological response 12 (SVR12). Small circles and stars above the boxes mark outliers. ^aP < 0.05, ^bP < 0.01.