CD14<sup>+</sup> monocytes and CD163<sup>+</sup> macrophages correlate with the severity of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C

作者：Suxian Zhao, Wencong Li, Na Fu, Lingbo Kong, Qingshan Zhang, Fang Han, Weiguang Ren, Po Cui, Jinghua Du, Baoyu Wang, Yuguo Zhang, Rongqi Wang, Li Kong, Yuemin Nan · 发表于：Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine · 年份：2020 · DOI：10.3892/etm.2020.9358 · 被引用次数：20 · 研究领域：Hepatitis C virus research、Liver Disease Diagnosis and Treatment、Liver physiology and pathology

Hepatic fibrosis is a crucial pathological process involved in the development of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and may progress to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Activated peripheral blood monocytes and intrahepatic macrophages further promote hepatic fibrogenesis by releasing proinflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines. The present study aimed to investigate the role of peripheral CD14 + monocytes and intrahepatic CD163 + macrophages in hepatitis C virus (HCV)‑associated liver fibrosis and clarify whether serum soluble CD163 (sCD163) may serve as a fibrosis marker in patients with CHC. A total of 87 patients with CHC and 20 healthy controls were recruited. Serum sCD163 levels were measured by ELISA. Frequencies of peripheral CD14 + monocytes and inflammatory cytokines expressed by CD14 + monocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry. The degree of fibrosis in human liver biopsies was graded using the Metavir scoring system and patients were stratified into two groups based on those results (F<2 vs. F≥2). Hepatic expression of CD163 was examined by immunohistochemical staining. The diagnostic values of sCD163, aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI), fibrosis 4 score (FIB‑4) and the aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR) in significant fibrosis (F≥2) were evaluated and compared using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The results indicated that the serum sCD163 levels and the frequency of CD1...