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The significance of YKL-40 protein in liver fibrosis

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Abstract

Objective

The aims of this review are to describe the present knowledge about YKL-40 protein, discuss its relation to liver fibrosis, and to look ahead at future perspectives of YKL-40 research.

Introduction

Liver fibrosis is characterized by excess collagen deposition, decreased extracellular matrix degradation and activation of hepatic stellate cells. Therefore, advancement in the identification of liver fibrosis biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic values becomes an important tool for future molecular therapy. The molecular basis of YKL-40 in liver fibrosis is unknown.

Methods

A PubMed database search was performed for studies of YKL-40 in liver injury and fibrosis.

Results and conclusions

YKL-40 is an inflammatory glycoprotein involved in endothelial dysfunction by promoting chemotaxis, cell attachment and migration, reorganization, and tissue remodeling as a response to endothelial damage. Several studies demonstrate that elevated serum YKL-levels are independently associated with the presence of endothelial damage and even higher YKL-40 levels are documented in liver fibrosis. YKL-40 may play a key role in liver injury and fibrosis.

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Abbreviations

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

α-SMA:

α-smooth muscle actin

HSC:

Hepatic stellate cells

PPARγ:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (NO 81273526, 81202978), and by the Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation (1308085MH117).

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China

    Hui Tao & Kai-Hu Shi

  2. Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China

    Hui Tao & Kai-Hu Shi

  3. School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Mei Shan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui Province, China

    Jing-Jing Yang, Cheng Huang, Lei Zhang, Xiong-Wen Lv & Jun Li

  4. Department of Pharmacology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230601, China

    Jing-Jing Yang

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  1. Hui Tao
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  4. Cheng Huang
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Correspondence to Kai-Hu Shi or Jun Li.

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Responsible Editor: Kumar Visvanathan.

H. Tao and J.-J. Yang contribute equally to the first author.

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Tao, H., Yang, JJ., Shi, KH. et al. The significance of YKL-40 protein in liver fibrosis. Inflamm. Res. 63, 249–254 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-013-0698-9

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