Rapid Communication
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 7, 2007; 13(33): 4504-4508
Published online Sep 7, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i33.4504
Association of the frequency of peripheral natural killer T cells with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Cheng-Fu Xu, Chao-Hui Yu, You-Ming Li, Lei Xu, Juan Du, Zhe Shen
Cheng-Fu Xu, Chao-Hui Yu, You-Ming Li, Lei Xu, Juan Du, Zhe Shen, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: You-Ming Li, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No.79 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310003, Zhejiang Province, China. zlym@zju.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-571-87236603 Fax: +86-571-87236611
Received: May 11, 2007
Revised: June 13, 2007
Accepted: June 18, 2007
Published online: September 7, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether changes in the frequency of peripheral natural killer T (NKT) cells were correlated with liver disease in patients who had metabolic predispositions to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 60 Chinese NAFLD patients and 60 age and gender matched healthy controls. The frequency of peripheral NKT cells was detected by flow cytometry. Clinical and laboratory data were collected for further analysis.

RESULTS: NAFLD patients had a lower frequency of peripheral NKT cells than healthy controls (1.21% ± 0.06% vs 1.62% ± 0.07%, P < 0.001). Further analysis revealed that the frequency of peripheral NKT cells was negatively correlated with body mass index, waist circumference and serum levels of alanine aminotransferase. Logistic regression analysis revealed that elevated body mass index [hazard ratio (HR): 2.991], aspartate aminotransferase levels (HR: 1.148) and fasting blood sugar (HR: 3.133) increased the risk of NAFLD, whereas an elevated frequency of peripheral NKT cells (HR: 0.107) decreased the risk.

CONCLUSION: Changes in the frequency of peripheral NKT cells were correlated with NAFLD and a decreased frequency of peripheral NKT cells was a risk factor for NAFLD.

Keywords: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; Natural killer T cells; Flow cytometry; Risk factor