Diseases
Elevated Adenosine Kinase and Decreased ENTPD1 mRNA Levels in Peripheral Blood Leukocytes of Patients with MASLD Differentiate Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis from Hepatic Steatosis
By Kurbatova I, Zhulai G, Dudanova O and 1 others.
Abstract
Background
Adenosine kinase (ADK) and the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73 regulate adenosine metabolism and play important roles in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. Their involvement in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) remains insufficiently characterized, particularly in humans. This study aimed to comparatively analyze ADK levels, the mRNA levels of the long and short ADK isoforms and the ENTPD1, NT5E, and ADORA2A genes in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs), and the proportion of CD39- and CD73-expressing cells in the blood of healthy individuals and patients with different forms of MASLD (hepatic steatosis (HS) and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)).
Methods
Blood samples were obtained from 42 healthy individuals and 98 patients with MASLD. ADK and cytokine levels were measured by ELISA. mRNA levels were determined by RT-PCR. The proportions of CD39- and CD73-expressing cells were determined by flow cytometry.