Summary

• Serum collagen IV correlates with the extent of hepatic fibrosis.
• Serum collagen IV may be a biomarker of collagen turnover.
• In subjects with hepatocellular carcinoma, elevated serum collagen IV is associated with more invasive disease. 

Selected Articles

1) Serum collagen IV for the assessment of fibrosis and resistance to Interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis.
Yabu, K., Kiyosawa, K., Mori, H., Matsumoto, A., Yoshizawa, K., Tanaka, E. and Furuta, S. (1994).
Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 29(5) 474-9.

• 69 subjects treated with Interferon.
• Serum collagen IV correlated with the extent of hepatic fibrosis.
• Elevated pre-treatment serum Collagen IV levels predicted resistance to therapy. 
• Serum collagen IV levels fell during successful therapy.
  

2) Serum type IV collagen in various liver diseases in comparison with serum 7S collagen, laminin, and type III procollagen peptide.
Hirayama, C., Suzuki, H., Takada, A., Fujisawa, K., Tanikawa, K. and Igarashi, S. (1996). J. Gastroenterol. 31(2) 242-8.
 

• Serum collagen IV studied in 70 controls and 161 subjects with liver disease.
• Serum collagen IV is elevated in subjects with liver diseases.
• Collagen IV seems to be an indicator of active collagen IV deposition.
   

3) Serum laminin and type IV collagen are accurate markers of histologically severe alcoholic hepatitis in patients with cirrhosis.
Castera, L., Hartmann, D.J., Chapel, F., Guettier, C., Mall, F., Lons, T., Richardet, J.P., Grimbert, S., Morassi, O., Beaugrand M. and Trinchet, J.C. (2000). J. Hepatol. 32(3) 412-8.
 

• 80 subjects with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and to undergo biopsy studied.
• At a cut off of 150 ng/ml, collagen IV was 89% sensitive and 77% specific for severe alcoholic hepatitis.
   

4) Changes in type IV collagen content in livers of patients with alcoholic liver disease.
Tsutsumi, M., Urashima, S., Matsuda, Y., Takase, S. and Takada, A. (1993). Hepatology. 17(5) 820-7.
 

• Serum collagen IV correlates with collagen IV content of hepatic tissue.
• Serum and liver collagen IV levels are higher in alcoholic cirrhosis than other causes.
• Serum collagen IV levels increase with increaseing severity of liver disease.