الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Iron is an essential metal that functions as a component of oxygen-carrying proteins and of redox enzymes in cellular metabolism. However, excessive iron evokes inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and fibrosis by activating inflammatory cells and hepatic stellate Cells Chronic HCV infection is also characterized by iron deposition in the liver, which contributes to liver injury. Withdrawal of iron by phlebotomy improves liver function tests and decreases hepatocellular carcinoma HCC development in HCV-infected patients. Growth differentiation factor 15 GDF15 is a member of the TGF β superfamily. Expression of GDF-15 in nearly all tissues suggests its general importance in essential cellular functions. GDF15 has been proposed as a biomarker of heart disease, kidney disease, and cancers; however, its exact biological functions remain poorly understood. GDF 15 is increased in patients with ineffective erythropoiesis, but not in diseases associated with increased erythropoiesis without increased intramedullary apoptosis (e.g. hemolytic anemia). GDF15 could, therefore, constitute a marker for ineffective erythropoiesis in the differential diagnosis of cases of unexplained anemia The study is designed to determine expression of GDF15 in chronic HCV patients and associated iron loading. This study included 70 individual; 50 were CHC patients (40 anemic and 10 non anemic) and 10 idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients as control for BM expression of GDF15. In addition 10 |