Association of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease grades with the plasma cell antigen-1 (PC-1) gene polymorphism

Abstract

Background and aims: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a complicated disease linked with dietary habitats, obesity, and a range of comorbidities correlated with insulin resistance. Although environmental parameters are essential in deciding risk of the disease, proofs from previous reports sustain the hypothesis that genetics are responsible for NAFLD developmentand progression. Plasma cell antigen-1 (PC-1) and its gene polymorphism are associated with NAFLD progression. Consequently, the object of this study was to detect the usefulness of PC-1 K121Q gene polymorphism in NAFLD progression.

Subjects and methods: A total of 87 NAFLD patients were included in the study and subdivided  ultrasonographically into 31 patients with grade 1 (mild NAFLD), 26 patients with grade 2  (moderate NAFLD) and 30 patients with grade 3 (severe  NAFLD), in addition to 47 normal controls. The detection of PC-1 K121Q gene polymorphism was accomplished by using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-PCR.

Results: Lipid profile parameters were associated with the incidence of NAFLD. AlthoughPC-1 gene polymorphism didnot significantly change in parallel with NAFLD grades, PC-1 at the genetic and protein level was significantly associated with triacylglycerollevels in NAFLD patients.

Conclusion: Lipid profile indices are risk factors for the incidence of NAFLD. Triacylglycerol (TAG) level is the hall-mark in the NAFLD pathogenesis and in the predisposition of PC-1 gene polymorphism.