Published online Nov 27, 2023. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v15.i11.1237
Peer-review started: August 22, 2023
First decision: September 6, 2023
Revised: September 22, 2023
Accepted: October 23, 2023
Article in press: October 23, 2023
Published online: November 27, 2023
Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) affects 71 million people globally and leads to liver issues such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, cancer, and death. A better understanding and prognosis of liver involvement are vital to reduce morbidity and mortality. The accurate identification of the fibrosis stage is crucial for making treatment decisions and predicting outcomes. Tests used to grade fibrosis include histolo
To identify potential biomarkers that might stratify these lesions and add information about the molecular mechanisms involved in the disease.
Plasma samples were collected from 46 patients with hepatitis C and classified into fibrosis grades F1 (n = 13), F2 (n = 12), F3 (n = 6), and F4 (n = 15). To ensure that the identified biomarkers were exclusive to liver lesions (CHC fibrosis), healthy volunteer participants (n = 50) were also included. An untargeted metabolomic technique was used to analyze the plasma metabolites using mass spectrometry and database verification. Statistical analyses were performed to identify differential biomarkers among groups.
Six differential metabolites were identified in each grade of fibrosis. This six-metabolite profile was able to establish a clustering tendency in patients with the same grade of fibrosis; thus, they showed greater efficiency in discriminating grades.
This study suggests that some of the observed biomarkers, once validated, have the potential to be applied as prognostic biomarkers. Furthermore, it suggests that liquid biopsy analyses of plasma metabolites are a good source of molecular biomarkers capable of stratifying patients with CHC according to fibrosis grade.
Core Tip: Chronic Hepatitis C affects 71 million people globally and leads to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, cancer, and death. The accurate staging of fibrosis is crucial for treatment decisions and outcome prediction. Blood markers are a relevant source of information, and various molecular biomarkers have been investigated to characterize liver fibrosis. We analyzed plasma metabolites by mass spectrometry in 50 healthy participants, and in 46 patients with hepatitis C and classified them into fibrosis grades F1-F4. Six differential metabolites were identified in each grade of fibrosis; their biochemical pathways were analyzed and suggests molecular mechanisms involved in the disease.