| [ Summary ] |
Assessment of liver fibrosis is essential for management of liver disease. Although liver biopsy is considered to be the gold standard for staging of liver fibrosis, liver biopsy is an invasive and inaccurate method with numerous drawbacks. In order to overcome these limitations, a number of noninvasive techniques have been developed for assessment of liver fibrosis. Conventionally, serum products related to liver fibrogenesis and fibrolysis, such as hyaluronic acid, type Ⅳ collagen and, P-Ⅲ-P, have been used as serum biomarkers. The Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive human Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP), also called as Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi), was recently shown to be a liver fibrosis glycobiomarker with a unique fibrosis-related glycoalteration, This was also proposed as an risk marker for hepatocarcinogenesis. Autotaxin (ATX), which is metabolized by liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, is a newly discovered enzyme considered to be associated with liver damage and fibrosis. Each serumbased biomarker for liver fibrosis has functionally different characteristics, therefore, an understanding the functions and features of these biomarkers is important for physicians. This review will focus on currently available non-invasive serum-based biomarkers for liver fibrosis. |