Usefulness of Oxysterol as a Biomarker for Biliary Atresia

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K16941
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 52050:Embryonic medicine and pediatrics-related
• Research Institution: Kurume University
• Principal Investigator: Yasuda Ryosuke 久留米大学, 医学部, 助教 (80869082)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: オキシステロール / 胆道閉鎖症 / 乳児 / MMP-7

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Among the oxysterols measured in this study, urinary 27-hydroxycholesterol had the highest AUC of 0.83 for ROC analysis in biliary atresia (BA) diagnosis, and the sensitivity and specificity for BA diagnosis were 79% and 90%, respectively. On the other hand, the AUC of serum matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), the recent biomarker for diagnosis of BA, was 0.99, and the sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 90%, respectively. Compared serum MMP-7 with urinary 27-hydroxycholesterol, the AUC, sensitivity, and specificity in the ROC analysis were 0.98vs0.83, 93%vs79%, and 90%vs90%, respectively. Taken together, serum MMP-7 may be better biomarker for the diagnosis of BA than urinary 27-hydroxycholesterol.

Free Research Field

小児肝臓病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回の研究で、胆道閉鎖症（BA）診断のバイオマーカーとして、尿中27-hydroxycholesterolが有用であることを明らかにした。次に、北米や中国から報告されている最新のBA診断マーカーである血清matrix metalloproteinase-7（MMP-7）と尿中27-hydroxycholesterolのBA診断における有用性を比較したところ、血清MMP-7の方が優れていた。しかし、解析した症例数が少ないため、症例数を増やしての再検が必要と考えられる。また、BA群の葛西手術後の予後(肝移植)予測への有用性はどちらが優れているかなどの検討も今後必要である。