SUMMARY To detect the expression of pro-fibrotic molecules, such as heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in liver specimens, and analyse their correlations with the progression of schistosomal hepatic fibrosis, liver biopsy was performed in 42 chronic schistosomiasis (CS) patients, 16 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and five healthy individuals (HI).
Healthy individuals (n=56), as well as fibrotic (n=77), cirrhotic (n=17), and HCC-patients (n=72) with chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infection, clinically, biochemically and histopathologically well characterized and classified, were included for the measurements of CTGF-concentrations in serum using a newly developed CTGF-enzyme immunoassay.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure CCN2 in sera from 107 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 39 patients with HBV-induced active liver cirrhosis and 30 healthy individuals.
CTGF expression was found by immunohistochemistry in bile duct epithelial cells, hepatic stellate cells, and hepatocytes in fibrotic liver tissue from patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.