Taurochenodeoxycholic acid accurately stratified stages of hepatitis B virus–related hepatic cirrhosis and reflected treatment response, serving as a promising stratification biomarker, according to researchers who analyzed 267 patients published in Scientific Reports. TCDCA also showed anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in laboratory models.
The bile acid biomarker distinguished chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) from compensated cirrhosis with 78% sensitivity and 67% specificity, and differentiated compensated from decompensated cirrhosis with 79% sensitivity and 78% specificity. Taurochenodeoxycholic acid (TCDCA) showed higher accuracy than APRI, FIB-4, and GPR scores in compensated cirrhosis.
Patients receiving antiviral therapy with HBV-DNA levels below 20 IU/L had lower TCDCA compared with those with higher viral loads, with the reduction most evident in patients with cirrhosis, indicating an association between viral suppression and bile acid balance.
Researchers analyzed patients across disease stages: 117 with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 47 with compensated cirrhosis, 49 with decompensated cirrhosis, and 54 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
TCDCA levels increased progressively with disease severity and correlated with established markers including alpha-fetoprotein, aspartate aminotransferase, and bilirubin.
In cell culture experiments, TCDCA promoted secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 and reduced IL-15 and fibrotic markers, suggesting potential anti-fibrotic properties.
“TCDCA could serve as a promising stratification biomarker of HBV-related hepatic cirrhosis, possessing anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties that may contribute to ameliorating liver fibrosis,” wrote Hongchun Luo, MD, of the Department of Infectious Diseases at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, and colleagues.
The study was limited by its single-center design and modest sample size. They reported that the intracellular mechanisms of TCDCA were not fully understood and recommended larger multicenter studies.
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
Source: Scientific Reports