Abstract
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic disorder of unknown etiology characterized by progressive fibrosis and stricturing of the biliary tract. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a family of cytokines produced by biliary tract epithelial cells that promote fibrinogenesis. Our objective was to determine whether TGF-β levels are increased in the blood and/or bile of PSC patients compared to patients with other causes of obstructed biliary tracts (controls). Serum and bile TGF-β levels were documented by enzyme-linked immunoassay in 10 adult PSC and 10 control patients obtained at the time of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. Serum and bile TGF-β levels were similar in the two groups (PSC versus control sera, 33.4 ± 4.3 versus 27.5 ± 7.7 ng/ml, and bile, 367 ± 275 versus 457 ± 247 ng/mg, respectively). Serum and bile TGF-β levels are not increased in patients with PSC. Hence, the results of this pilot study do not support the hypotheses that PSC is caused by dysregulated TGF-β expression.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 5-8 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Digestive diseases and sciences |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2004 |
Keywords
- Bile
- Cholestasis
- Collagen
- Cytokines
- Fibrosis
- Liver disease
- Primary sclerosing cholangitis
- TGF-β
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Gastroenterology