Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34600973›Full record

ArticleJournal of hepatology2022

ADAMTSL2 protein and a soluble biomarker signature identify at-risk non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and fibrosis in adults with NAFLD.

Kathleen E Corey, Rebecca Pitts, Michelle Lai, Joseph Loureiro, Ricard Masia, Stephanie A Osganian, Jenna L Gustafson, Matthew M Hutter, Denise W Gee, Ozanan R Meireles and 9 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of hepatology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Gene-Based Clustering Identifies QSOX1 and IL1RAP as Biomarkers of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Kathleen E CoreyDivision of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS), Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: kcorey@partners.org.
Rebecca PittsNovartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Michelle LaiDivision of Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital (BIDMC) and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Joseph LoureiroNovartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Ricard MasiaDepartment of Pathology, MGH and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Stephanie A OsganianDivision of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS), Boston, MA, USA.
Jenna L GustafsonDivision of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS), Boston, MA, USA.
Matthew M HutterDepartment of Surgery, MGH and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Denise W GeeDepartment of Surgery, MGH and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Ozanan R MeirelesDepartment of Surgery, MGH and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Elan R WitkowskiDepartment of Surgery, MGH and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Shola M RichardsNovartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Jaison JacobNovartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Nancy FinkelNovartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Debby NgoDepartment of Pulmonary/Critical Care, Cardiovascular Institute, BIDMC and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Thomas J WangDepartment of Cardiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA.
Robert E GersztenDivision of Cardiovascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Institute, BIDMC and HMS, Boston, MA, USA.
Chinweike UkomaduNovartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Lori L JenningsNovartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Funding

ROLE OF DIETARY CONSTITUENTS ON GENE EXPRESSION IN INTESTINAL EPITHELIUMP30DK040561 · NIDDK · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI CHRISTOPHER P DUGGAN · 1994 to 2026
$31.6M
Proteomics of Cardiometabolic and Renal Traits in African AmericansR01HL133870 · NHLBI · UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI MED CTR · PI ROBERT E GERSZTEN · 2017 to 2026
$6.7M
Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analog to Improve Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Associated Cardiovascular RiskR01DK114144 · NIDDK · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI COREY, KATHLEEN ELIZABETH, STANLEY, TAKARA LEAH · 2018 to 2022
$4.0M
Proteomic Pathway Discovery in Cardiovascular DiseaseR01HL132320 · NHLBI · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · PI GERSZTEN, ROBERT E, RAMACHANDRAN, VASAN S · 2016 to 2019
$3.4M
Metabolite profiling for Coronary Artery Disease in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseR03DK113349 · NIDDK · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI COREY, KATHLEEN ELIZABETH · 2017 to 2018
$171k
NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL132320NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL133870NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK040561NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK114144NIDDK NIH HHS R03 DK113349
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND &

aimsIdentifying fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is essential to predict liver-related outcomes and guide treatment decisions. A protein-based signature of fibrosis could serve as a valuable, non-invasive diagnostic tool. This study sought to identify circulating proteins associated with fibrosis in NAFLD.

methodsWe used aptamer-based proteomics to measure 4,783 proteins in 2 cohorts (Cohort A and B). Targeted, quantitative assays coupling aptamer-based protein pull down and mass spectrometry (SPMS) validated the profiling results in a bariatric and NAFLD cohort (Cohort C and D, respectively). Generalized linear modeling-logistic regression assessed the ability of candidate proteins to classify fibrosis.

resultsFrom the multiplex profiling, 16 proteins differed significantly by fibrosis in cohorts A (n = 62) and B (n = 98). Quantitative and robust SPMS assays were developed for 8 proteins and validated in Cohorts C (n = 71) and D (n = 84). The A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs like 2 (ADAMTSL2) protein accurately distinguished non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL)/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with fibrosis stage 0-1 (F0-1) from at-risk NASH with fibrosis stage 2-4, with AUROCs of 0.83 and 0.86 in Cohorts C and D, respectively, and from NASH with significant fibrosis (F2-3), with AUROCs of 0.80 and 0.83 in Cohorts C and D, respectively. An 8-protein panel distinguished NAFL/NASH F0-1 from at-risk NASH (AUROCs 0.90 and 0.87 in Cohort C and D, respectively) and NASH F2-3 (AUROCs 0.89 and 0.83 in Cohorts C and D, respectively). The 8-protein panel and ADAMTSL2 protein had superior performance to the NAFLD fibrosis score and fibrosis-4 score.

conclusionThe ADAMTSL2 protein and an 8-protein soluble biomarker panel are highly associated with at-risk NASH and significant fibrosis; they exhibited superior diagnostic performance compared to standard of care fibrosis scores. LAY SUMMARY: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common causes of liver disease worldwide. Diagnosing NAFLD and identifying fibrosis (scarring of the liver) currently requires a liver biopsy. Our study identified novel proteins found in the blood which may identify fibrosis without the need for a liver biopsy.

Indexed as

ADAMTS ProteinsAdultArea Under CurveBiomarkersBiopsyCase-Control StudiesCohort StudiesFemaleHumansLiver CirrhosisLogistic ModelsMaleMassachusettsMiddle AgedNon-alcoholic Fatty Liver DiseaseProspective StudiesADAMTSL2 protein, humanADAMTS ProteinsBiomarkersADAMTSL2biomarkerfibrosisnon-alcoholic fatty liver diseasenon-alcoholic steatohepatitisproteomics

Identifiers

PMID34600973
PMCPMC8688231

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.