Increased granulysin expression in peripheral blood cells of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and its clinical implications

作者：Qian, Cheng^*; Chen, Sunxiao; Yao, Dingkang; Wu, Chuanyong; Jiang, Tingwang; Ke, Jinshan; Zhou, Ye; Gu, Mingli; Chen, Bo; Deng, Anmei; Zhong, Renqian

来源：Journal of Clinical Immunology, 2008, 28(5): 520-527.

DOI：10.1007/s10875-008-9207-2

• primary biliary cirrhosis
• granulysin
• cytotoxic T lymphocytes
• natural killer cells
• Mayo Clinic risk score

Introduction Granulysin is a cytotoxic molecule involved in cellular immune reactions.
Materials and methods The levels of granulysin mRNA in the peripheral blood and serum granulysin of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The expression of granulysin mRNA and serum protein in PBC was increased compared to the controls.
Results The expression of granulysin mRNA or serum protein showed close associations, respectively, with natural killer cell population in PBC patients. Serum granulysin was down-regulated by steroid and ursodeoxycholic therapy for PBC according to the improvement of severity of PBC. In addition, the expression of serum granulysin were related to serum total bilirubin and Mayo Clinic risk score. The serum granulysin reflected the cellular immune status of patients with PBC, and the expression correlated with the severity of PBC.
Conclusion Therefore, there is a clinical benefit to monitoring granulysin as a biomarker of the prognosis of patients with PBC.

• 出版日期2008-9
• 单位中国人民解放军第二军医大学; 天津市中医药研究院附属医院