Research article summary (published 30 Mar 1999):

Serum ubiquitin levels in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

Full Abstract

Serum concentrations of free ubiquitin and multiubiquitin chain as determined by immunoassays were compared between 10 healthy subjects, and 11 patients with alcoholic hepatic fibrosis, 10 with alcoholic cirrhosis, and 6 with viral liver cirrhosis. All measurements of multiubiquitin chains were expressed in terms of a standard multiubiquitin chain reference preparation 1. Serum concentrations (mean +/- SD) of free ubiquitin and multiubiquitin chains were significantly higher in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (63.5 +/- 33.7 ng/ml and 7.5 +/- 4.6 ng/ml) than in the normal subjects (29.6 +/- 6.6 ng/ml, p < 0.05 and 4.1 +/- 1.7 ng/ml, p < 0.05), and those with alcoholic hepatic fibrosis (34.8 +/- 16.3 ng/ml, p < 0.05 and 3.0 +/- 0.7 ng/ml, p < 0.05) and viral liver cirrhosis (28.8 +/- 7.5 ng/ml, p < 0.05 and 4.2 +/- 1.3 ng/ml, p < 0.05). Serum levels of both forms of ubiquitin in six patients with alcoholic cirrhosis showed a tendency to decline after 3 months of abstinence. In a total of 14 patients with alcoholic liver damage, 11 with brain atrophy had significantly higher serum levels of both ubiquitin forms than did three patients without brain atrophy (p < 0.05). No correlation was seen between serum concentrations of either form of ubiquitin and liver function test results in the patients with alcoholic liver damage. However, serum levels of both forms of ubiquitin levels correlated significantly with cumulative alcohol intake (p < 0.05). A significant correlation (p < 0.05) also was observed between serum levels of multiubiquitin chains and mean corpuscular volume, a marker of alcohol consumption. These results suggest that the serum concentrations of ubiquitin, especially multiubiquitin chain is a good marker for the diagnosis of alcoholic cirrhosis.

Author information

Author/s: Takagi, M (M); Yamauchi, M (M); Toda, G (G); Takada, K (K); Hirakawa, T (T); Ohkawa, K (K);

Affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research (Alcohol Clin Exp Res), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1999-Apr; vol 23 (issue 4 Suppl) : pp 76S-80S

Dates: Created 1999/06/24; Completed 1999/06/24; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 10235284, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Aged Erythrocyte Indices Ethanol - administration & dosage Female Humans Immunoassay Liver Cirrhosis - virology

Liver Cirrhosis - virology Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic - blood Liver Diseases, Alcoholic - blood Male Middle Aged Multivariate Analysis Reference Values Ubiquitins - blood

Associated Chemicals: Ubiquitins (0) ; Ethanol (64-17-5)

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