Association between hepatic angiogenesis and serum adipokine profile in non-obese chronic hepatitis C patients

It is unclear whether angiogenesis merely represents a homeostatic mechanism aimed at ensuring an adequate oxygen supply or one that exerts an additional pathogenic role leading to liver damage in chronic hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients present a proangiogenic profile of angiogenic markers. Adipokines not only regulate adipose tissue and glucose metabolism, but also influence inflammation, fibrogenic process and production of proangiogenic factors. On the basis of this evidence we aimed to assess the number of new blood vessels in lobules and portal tracts in the liver and evaluate the relationship between angiogenesis intensity and serum adipokine concentrations in CHC. Our study showed a positive association between serum vaspin and angiogenesis intensity in portal tracts and lobules in CHC patients (r = 0.41, p = 0.04; r = 0.46, p = 0.03; respectively). Serum visfatin was found to be negatively related to angiogenesis in portal tracts and lobules but only in females (r = –0.76, p = 0.03; r= –0.95, p < 0.001; respectively). In conclusion, the role of some adipokines in liver angiogenesis seems to be different in females than in males. Serum vaspin concentration seems to reflect intensity of liver angiogenesis in CHC. Further studies are necessary to better determine the role of adipokines in new blood vessel formation in CHC.