Assessment of Concentration of TGF-ß in women with Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

Alcohol disease is one of the most significant factors for development of fibrosing of the liver Fibrosing process is related to reconstruction of extracellular matrix and precedes the occurrence of cirrhosis. HSC activation is followed by production of ECM elements (2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10). In the course of fibrosing process, growth factors (mainly TGF, PDGF) and other cytokines responsible for storage, distribution and biological activity of ECM proteins, are involved (3, 11, 12,13). Among growth factors, TGF-β appears to be a key mediator in human fibrogenesis. In HSC TGF-β favors the transition to myofibroblast-like cells, stimulates the synthesis of ECM proteins, and inhibits their degradation. Liver fibrosis is a result of chronic damage to the liver conjunction with the accumulation of ECM proteins, which is a characteristic of most types of chronic liver diseases.

Material and methods. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gammaglutamyltransferase (GTP) transforming growth factor beta (TGF-B) were investigated during this study. Study group consists of 40 inpatients treated in Inpatients Clinic in Toruń. Control group consists of 35 healthy women.

Results. Mean age of females in the study group was 43+/-7 yrs, length of dependence 8+/-6 yrs, AST 32,88+/- 32,95, ALT 29,76+/-24,48, GTP 57,21+/-128,4 U/l. The concentration of TGF-β was significantly higher in alcohol dependent female group compared to the healthy subjects (683,45 vs 69,18; p=0,028).

Conclusions`. These results imply that prolonged alcohol abuse leads to an increase of concentration of TGF-β as a result of hepatic cirrhosis.