Background and study aim: Cirrhotic
patients with ascites show a higher
susceptibility to bacterial infections,
monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)
secretion is up-regulated during chronic
hepatitis and correlates with the severity
of hepatic inflammation. The aim of this
work is to determine the level of
expression of MCP-1 gene in blood and
ascitic fluid in cirrhotic patients with and
without spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
(SBP) to evaluate its role in pathogenesis
of SBP and its role in diagnosis.
Patients and Methods: This study
included 15 healthy subjects served as
control group in addition to 35 cirrhotic
patients due to HCV infection with
ascites; classified into two groups,
cirrhosis without SBP (15 patients) and
cirrhosis with SBP (20 patients). All
groups were subjected to quantitative
estimation of MCP-1 gene expression in
blood by real time PCR. In SBP and non
SBP groups the gene expression were
assessed in ascitic fluid also at diagnosis
and reassessed in SBP group after
treatment.
Results: Blood and ascitic fluid
expression of MCP-1 gene were
significant higher in SBP group than non
SBP group and control group. SBP group
showed a significant decrease in level of
MCP-1 gene expression in blood and
ascitic fluid after resolution of infection
by appropriate treatment of SBP.
Conclusion: MCP-1 gene expression in
both blood and ascitic fluid may be
related to pathophysiology and course of
SBP and can be used as a marker for
diagnosis.