Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41162856›Full record

ArticleBMC gastroenterology2025

Early elevation of complement-related proteins in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) with normal liver enzymes.

Li Shao, Binbin Zhang, Jing Liu, Zhe Lyu, Weishi Zhang, Wenjun Yang, Jinlong Fu, Weijie Wu, Xueqing Zhong, Jie Li and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC gastroenterology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Li Shao *School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, China.
Binbin Zhang *School of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, China.
Jing LiuDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310015, China.
Zhe LyuDepartment of Stomatology, College of Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China.
Weishi ZhangDepartment of Otolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital 2 of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China.
Wenjun YangDepartment of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310015, China.
Jinlong FuSchool of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, China.
Weijie WuInstitute of Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, No. 126 Wenzhou Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310015, China.
Xueqing ZhongDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310015, China.
Jie LiDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210031, China. lijier@nju.edu.cn.
Junping ShiSchool of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Normal University, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, China. 20131004@hznu.edu.cn.

Funding

China University Industry-University-Research Innovation Fund 2022BC158National Natural Science Foundation of China 31870839National Natural Science Foundation of China 82170609National Natural Science Foundation of China 82204827Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province GF20H030035Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province LQ19H030002Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province LQ23H270016Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province LY22C010001Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases-National Science and Technology Major Project 2023ZD0508704
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) affects a quarter of the population. Although multiple studies have investigated the mechanisms underlying steatohepatitis and MASLD progression, little attention has been paid to milder cases, particularly those with normal enzyme levels. Our objective was to evaluate the molecular events in patients with MASLD and normal enzyme levels.

methodsWe performed a proteomic analysis on serum samples from 83 healthy controls and 50 patients with MASLD. The major findings were then validated in serum samples from 35 controls and 60 patients with MASLD and normal liver enzyme levels (MASLD-NLE), as well as a male mouse model with metabolic dysfunction-associated liver steatosis and normal liver enzymes (mice-NLE) induced by a high-fat diet (HFD).

resultsDespite having normal enzyme levels, patients with MASLD-NLE exhibited significantly higher levels of ALT, AST, γGGT, hs-CRP, uric acid and creatine compared to controls. Serum proteomics indicated elevated complement-related proteins in patients with MASLD-NLE, evidenced by elevated protein levels of C3 and CFH in both cases using different cutoffs for normal ALT levels. C3 and CFH also showed positive correlations with γGGT, hs-CRP, ALT, and uric acid levels. Additionally, the elevation of C3 and CFH was confirmed in another set of human serum samples, as well as in serum and liver samples of mice-NLE using ELISA.

conclusionsOur study provides novel evidence that the complement system is already activated in patients with MASLD-NLE, potentially offering new avenues for treating MASLD at an early stage.

Indexed as

Complement C3Complement System ProteinsFatty LiverAdultAgedAlanine TransaminaseAnimalsAspartate AminotransferasesCase-Control StudiesComplement Factor HC-Reactive ProteinDiet, High-FatDisease Models, AnimalFemaleHumansLiverAlanine TransaminaseAspartate AminotransferasesComplement C3Complement Factor HComplement System ProteinsC-Reactive ProteinUric AcidComplement systemLiverMASLDNormal enzyme level

Identifiers

PMID41162856
PMCPMC12574045

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.