TY - JOUR
T1 - Altered balance between collagen formation and degradation after successful direct-acting antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C
AU - Laursen, Tea Lund
AU - Villesen, Ida Falk
AU - Leeming, Diana Julie
AU - Karsdal, Morten Asser
AU - Sølund, Christina
AU - Tarp, Britta
AU - Kristensen, Lena Hagelskjaer
AU - Holmboe, Charlotte Henneberg
AU - Leuthcher, Peter
AU - Laursen, Alex Lund
AU - Gudmann, Natasja Staehr
AU - Grønbaek, Henning
N1 - © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - The effect of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy on extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover, a prominent feature of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), is unknown. ECM protein degradation and formation generate fragments reflecting the tissue turnover balance when quantified in the blood. PRO-C3 and PRO-C4 reflect type III and IV collagen formation; C3M and C4M are degradation markers of type III and IV. We aimed to assess the markers' dynamics with DAA therapy in CHC patients. Plasma PRO-C3, PRO-C4, C3M and C4M were assessed before, during and up till one year after 12-24 weeks of DAA therapy in 77 CHC patients with advanced fibrosis (n = 14) or cirrhosis (n = 63). Liver stiffness was evaluated using transient elastography. PRO-C3, C3M and C4M levels decreased significantly (P < .00001) while PRO-C4 was unchanged (P = .20) during the study period. There was a steep decrease in the PRO-C3/C3M ratio during DAA therapy and follow-up (P < .02). The PRO-C4/C4M ratio was unchanged (P > .27). The dynamics of the collagen markers behaved similarly between patients with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the cirrhosis patients had >20% higher levels of C3M, PRO-C4 and C4M at all time points (P < .05). The collagen markers correlated with liver stiffness at baseline and follow-up.Markers of type III and IV collagen formation and degradation decreased during and after successful DAA therapy in CHC patients with advanced liver disease, and associated with disease severity. These results indicate an altered balance between collagen formation and degradation after viral clearance suggesting favourable effects on liver fibrosis.
AB - The effect of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy on extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover, a prominent feature of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), is unknown. ECM protein degradation and formation generate fragments reflecting the tissue turnover balance when quantified in the blood. PRO-C3 and PRO-C4 reflect type III and IV collagen formation; C3M and C4M are degradation markers of type III and IV. We aimed to assess the markers' dynamics with DAA therapy in CHC patients. Plasma PRO-C3, PRO-C4, C3M and C4M were assessed before, during and up till one year after 12-24 weeks of DAA therapy in 77 CHC patients with advanced fibrosis (n = 14) or cirrhosis (n = 63). Liver stiffness was evaluated using transient elastography. PRO-C3, C3M and C4M levels decreased significantly (P < .00001) while PRO-C4 was unchanged (P = .20) during the study period. There was a steep decrease in the PRO-C3/C3M ratio during DAA therapy and follow-up (P < .02). The PRO-C4/C4M ratio was unchanged (P > .27). The dynamics of the collagen markers behaved similarly between patients with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the cirrhosis patients had >20% higher levels of C3M, PRO-C4 and C4M at all time points (P < .05). The collagen markers correlated with liver stiffness at baseline and follow-up.Markers of type III and IV collagen formation and degradation decreased during and after successful DAA therapy in CHC patients with advanced liver disease, and associated with disease severity. These results indicate an altered balance between collagen formation and degradation after viral clearance suggesting favourable effects on liver fibrosis.
KW - chronic hepatitis C
KW - collagen markers
KW - direct‐
KW - acting antiviral therapy
KW - fibrosis
KW - macrophage activation
KW - direct-acting antiviral therapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85096644409&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/jvh.13416
DO - 10.1111/jvh.13416
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33058390
SN - 1352-0504
VL - 28
SP - 236
EP - 244
JO - Journal of Viral Hepatitis
JF - Journal of Viral Hepatitis
IS - 2
M1 - 13416
ER -