Increased immunohistochemical expression of YKL-40 in the spleen of patients with portal hypertension

• Published in: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research Vol. 45; no. 3; pp. 264 - 272
• Main Authors: Wang, Dong, Lu, Jian-Guo, Wang, Qing, Du, Xi-Lin, Dong, Rui, Wang, Peng, Zhao, Lei, Jiang, Xue, Yuan, Li-Juan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 01.03.2012; Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica
• Subjects: Adipokines - metabolism; Adult; Aged; Animals; BIOLOGY; Biomarkers - metabolism; Case-Control Studies; Chitinase-3-Like Protein 1; Female; Fibrosis; Humans; Hypertension, Portal - complications; Hypertension, Portal - metabolism; Immunohistochemistry; Lectins - metabolism; Male; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 - metabolism; MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL; Middle Aged; MMP-9; Portal hypertension; Rabbits; Short Communication; Spleen - metabolism; Splenomegaly; Splenomegaly - etiology; Splenomegaly - metabolism; YKL-40; Young Adult; Immunohistochemistry; Splenomegaly; YKL-40; MMP-9; Fibrosis; Portal hypertension
• ISSN: 0100-879X; 1414-431X; 1414-431X; 0100-879X
• DOI: 10.1590/S0100-879X2012007500010

YKL-40 has been identified as a growth factor in connective tissue cells and also a migration factor in vascular smooth muscle cells. To a large extent, the increase of serum YKL-40 is attributed to liver fibrosis and asthma. However, the relationship of the expression and clinical/prognostic significance of YKL-40 to the splenomegaly of patients with portal hypertension is unclear. In the present study, the expression of YKL-40 was studied by immunohistochemistry in 48 splenomegaly tissue samples from patients with portal hypertension and in 14 normal spleen specimens. All specimens were quickly stored at -80°C after resection. Primary antibodies YKL-40 (1:150 dilution, rabbit polyclonal IgG) and MMP-9 (1:200 dilution, rabbit monoclonal IgG) and antirabbit immunoglobulins (HRP K4010) were used in this study. The relationship of clinicopathologic features with YKL-40 is presented. The expression of YKL-40 indicated by increased immunochemical reactivity was significantly up-regulated in splenomegaly tissues compared to normal spleen tissues. Overexpression of YKL-40 was found in 68.8% of splenomegaly tissues and was significantly associated with Child-Pugh classification (P = 0.000), free portal pressure (correlation coefficient = 0.499, P < 0.01) and spleen fibrosis (correlation coefficient = 0.857, P < 0.01). Further study showed a significant correlation between YKL-40 and MMP-9 (correlation coefficient = -0.839, P < 0.01), indicating that YKL-40 might be an accelerator of spleen tissue remodeling by inhibiting the expression of MMP-9. In conclusion, YKL-40 is an important factor involved in the remodeling of spleen tissue of portal hypertension patients and can be used as a therapeutic target for splenomegaly.