Serum autotaxin is a prognostic indicator of liver-related events in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Circulating autotaxin (ATX) levels have been reported to correlate with liver inflammation activity and liver fibrosis severity in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The objective of this study is to investigate whether serum ATX could predict liver-related events (LRE) in NAFLD patients.

Methods: This retrospective investigation includes 309 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients registered at Shinshu University Hospital.

Decrease in serum levels of autotaxin in COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: In order to identify therapeutic targets in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is important to identify molecules involved in the biological responses that are modulated in COVID-19. Lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) are involved in the pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis are one of the candidate molecules. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the serum levels of autotaxin (ATX), which are enzymes involved in the synthesis of lysophosphatidic acids.

Long-term prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma using serum autotaxin levels after antiviral therapy for hepatitis C.

Introduction And Objectives: Continuous monitoring for hepatocellular carcinoma is necessary following treatment with direct-acting antivirals in patients with hepatitis C virus infection. We investigated whether the long-term follow-up of serum autotaxin levels could predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection who presented to the study center from January 2016 to March 2021.

Plasma adrenomedullin level and year-by-year variability of body mass index in the general population.

Plasma levels of the hypotensive peptides of adrenomedullin and atrial and B-type natriuretic peptides (AM, ANP, BNP) are possible biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases. Increased variability of body mass index (BMI) over a certain period of time has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular morbidity or mortality. The aim of this study is to examine clinical significance of those hypotensive peptides as biomarkers by analyzing the relationship between plasma levels of the peptides and year-by-year variability of BMI in the general population without overt cardiovascular diseases.

Urinary autotaxin concentrations are associated with kidney injury.

Background: While basic researches have shown the involvement of the autotaxin-lysophosphatidic acid (ATX-LPA) axis in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases, no clinical studies have revealed the association between urinary ATX concentrations and kidney disease yet. We investigate the clinical characteristics in relation to the urinary ATX concentrations and the potential association between urinary ATX concentrations and various kidney diseases.

Methods: We measured the urinary ATX concentrations in residual urine samples after routine clinical testing from a total of 326 subjects with various kidney diseases and healthy subjects.

Elevated phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A1 level in hyperthyroidism.

Objectives: Although a single nucleotide polymorphism in a specific receptor for lysophosphatidylserine, a lysophospholipid mediator involved in the immune system, is reportedly associated with Graves' disease, the association between lysophosphatidylserine and thyroid disorders remains to be elucidated. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between the level of phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A1 (PS-PLA1), which produces lysophosphatidylserine, and thyroid disorders.

Methods: We measured serum PS-PLA1 levels in the patients with various thyroid disorders (n = 120) and normal subjects (n = 58).

Serum autotaxin levels are associated with Graves' disease.

Graves' Disease is a representative autoimmune thyroid disease that presents with hyperthyroidism. Emerging evidence has shown the involvement of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and its producing enzyme, autotaxin (ATX), in the pathogenesis of various diseases; among them, the involvement of the ATX/LPA axis in some immunological disturbances has been proposed. In this study, we investigated the association between serum ATX levels and Graves' disease.

Autotaxin and soluble IL-2 receptor concentrations in cerebrospinal fluids are useful for the diagnosis of central nervous system invasion caused by haematological malignancies.

Background: Invasion of the central nervous system by haematological malignancies is diagnosed by cytological analyses of cerebrospinal fluid or diagnostic imaging, while quantitative biomarkers for central nervous system invasion are not available and needed to be developed.

Methods: In this study, we measured the concentrations of autotaxin and soluble IL-2 receptor in cerebrospinal fluid and evaluated their usefulness as biomarkers for central nervous system invasion.

Results: We observed that both the autotaxin and soluble IL-2 receptor concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid were higher in subjects with central nervous system invasion than in those without, and the cerebrospinal fluid concentrations were independent from the serum concentrations of these biomarkers.

Association between serum autotaxin or phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A1 levels and melanoma.

Autotaxin (ATX), a producing enzyme for lysophosphatidic acids, was first identified from the medium of a melanoma cell line and has been considered to be one of the candidate targets to treat melanoma; however, the association between serum ATX and melanoma in human subjects has not been elucidated. Along with ATX, phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A1 (PS-PLA ) is a producing enzyme for lysophosphatidylserine, a similar glycero-lysophospholipid mediator to lysophosphatidic acids. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the association between serum ATX or PS-PLA levels and melanoma.

Performance of autotaxin as a serum marker for liver fibrosis.

Background Because autotaxin reportedly has a better performance than hyaluronic acid as a marker for liver fibrosis for the prediction of cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C, we aimed to further evaluate the role of autotaxin in liver fibrosis of other aetiologies. Methods Autotaxin antigen was measured in serum samples from 108 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 128 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease who had undergone a liver biopsy as well as healthy subjects and patients with chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis and cardiac dysfunction. Results When evaluated using receiver operator characteristics curves, the performance of autotaxin for the prediction of significant fibrosis (F2-F4) in chronic hepatitis B patients was better than that of hyaluronic acid or type IV collagen 7S.

A New Enzyme Immunoassay for the Quantitative Determination of Classical Autotaxins (ATXα, ATXβ, and ATXγ) and Novel Autotaxins (ATXδ and ATXε).

Background: Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted enzyme that converts lysophosphatidylcholine to lysophosphatidic acid, a potent bioactive lipid mediator, through its lysophospholipase D activity. Although five alternative splicing isoforms of ATX have been identified as ATXα, ATXβ, ATXγ, ATXδ, and ATXε and the expression patterns of each isoform differ among several tissues, the clinical significance of each isoform remains to be elucidated.

Methods: Anti-ATXβ and anti-ATXδ monoclonal antibodies were produced by immunization with recombinant human ATXβ and ATXδ expressed using a baculovirus system, respectively.

Gender-related alterations in plasma adrenomedullin level and its correlation with body weight gain.

Plasma levels of adrenomedullin (AM), a bioactive peptide produced in adipose tissue, have been shown to be higher in obese patients than in non-obese patients, but little is known about gender differences in plasma AM levels. The aims of this study were to clarify gender-related alterations in plasma AM levels and to examine the body weight (BW) gain-plasma AM relationship in the general population. We measured plasma AM levels of 346 local residents (62.