Imbalances in NET homeostasis linked to portal vein thrombosis in CHB-related decompensated cirrhosis

Background and aims

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a challenging complication in liver cirrhosis, with no currently available sensitive diagnostic markers. This study aimed to investigate the potential of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and Deoxyribonuclease (DNase) as diagnostic indicators for PVT in chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-related decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods

We analyzed 145 CHB-related decompensated cirrhosis patients from the Ditan study and 33 from the Changgung validation study, categorizing them based on PVT occurrence. Plasma samples were assessed for NET markers, including cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and histone-DNA complexes, along with DNase activity.

Results

PVT patients exhibited elevated levels of cfDNA and histone-DNA complexes, and reduced DNase activity. This pattern persisted regardless of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) status. Histone-DNA levels, DNase activity, and hemoglobin were identified as independent risk factors for PVT. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that high histone-DNA levels may serve as a potential diagnostic marker for PVT, with an area under the curve of 0.8628 in the Ditan study and 0.7521 in the Changgung study. When combined with cfDNA and DNase activity, the area under the curve improved to 0.8774 in the Ditan study and 0.7975 in the Changgung study.

Conclusions

Imbalances in NET homeostasis are associated with PVT in CHB-related decompensated cirrhosis, including cases involving HCC. Histone-DNA complexes, a significant risk factor for PVT, show potential as a diagnostic marker for PVT in decompensated cirrhosis, particularly in HBV-related HCC.

Source:
Journal reference:

Han, M., et al. (2024). The Imbalance of Homeostasis in Neutrophil Extracellular Traps is Associated with Portal Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis. Journal of Clinical and Translational Hepatology. doi.org/10.14218/jcth.2024.00165.

Comments

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.

You might also like...
Emerging therapies transform autoimmune hepatitis treatment approaches