Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) ›› 2021, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (5): 1237-1243.doi: 10.13481/j.1671-587X.20210522

• Research in clinical medicine • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Analysis on correlation of GPC3 and α-SMA expressions with liver function-related indexes in liver tissue of children with biliary atresia

Zhouguang WU,Bin WANG(),Zhen CHENG,Wenjie ZHANG,Taoyan ZUO,Siqi CHEN,Jingru FU   

  1. Department of General Surgery,Shenzhen Children’s Hospital,Guangdong Province,Shenzhen 518026,China
  • Received:2021-02-05 Online:2021-09-28 Published:2021-10-26
  • Contact: Bin WANG E-mail:zhwuzhouguang@163.com

Abstract: Objective

To investigate the expressions of phosphatidylinositol proteoglycan 3 (GPC3) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the liver tissue of the biliary atresia (BA)children, and to investigate their correlations with liver function related indexes.

Methods

A total of 26 children with BA were selected as the study subjects(BA group).All patients received Kasai surgery. Twenty children with choledochal cyst were selected as control group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression levels of GPC3 and α-SMA mRNA and proteins in liver tissue of the patients in two groups; Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlations of the GPC3 mRNA expression level with the expression level of and α-SMA mRNA and the correlations of GPC3 and α-SMA protein expression levels in liver tissue and liver function indexes [albumin (ALB), total bilirubin (TB),direct bilirubin (DB),alanine aminotransferase (ALT),aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and γ-glutamyl aminotransferase (γ-GGT)] of the patients. After 6 months of postoperative follow-up, 18 patients were divided into good prognosis group and 8 patients were divided into poor prognosis group according to the level of liver function. The protein expression levels of GPC3 and α-SMA of the patients in different prognosis groups were compared. Metavir score was used to compare the degrees of liver fibrosis patients in different prognosis groups.

Results

Compared with control group, the expression levels of GPC3 and α-SMA mRNA in liver tissue of the children in BA group were significantly increased (P<0.05);there was a positive relationship between GPC3 and α-SMA mRNA expression levels in liver tissue of the BA children (r=0.5370, P=0.005).GPC3 protein expression was positive in 21 (80.8%) cases of BA children, and α-SMA protein expression was positive in 20 (76.9%) cases of BA children.Compared with control group, the expression levels of GPC3 and α-SMA proteins in liver tissue of the children in BA group were increased (P<0.05).The Pearson correlation analysis results showed that the GPC-3 protein expression level was positively correlated with ALP level (r=0.582, P=0.008) and Metavir score (r=0.468,P=0.016),and it was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.384,P=0.026),ALB level (r=-0.514,P=0.005) and AST level (r=-0.327 2,P=0.035).The α-SMA protein expression level was positively correlated with ALP level (r=0.465,P=0.016) and Metavir score (r=0.422,P=0.010). Compared with good prognosis group, the expression levels of GPC3 and α-SMA proteins and Metavir score in liver tissue of the children in poor prognosis group were significantly increased (P<0.05).

Conclusion

The high expression levels of GPC3 and α-SMA in the liver tissue may be positively correlated with the degrees of liver dysfunction and fibrosis in the BA children, which often suggests a poor prognosis.

Key words: biliary atresia, phosphatidylinositol proteoglycan 3, alphα-smooth muscle actin, liver function, liver fibrosis

CLC Number: 

  • R722