Press Release

01.08.2008

Xeptagen's SCCA-IgM proposed in the follow-up of cirrhotic patients presenting SCCA-PD polymorphism

The latest issue of Digestive & Liver Diseases reports a study on the characterization of a novel polymorphic variant of the serpin SCCA1 (SCCA-PD) in patients with different extent of liver disease. The research presented by the Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Padova and Xeptagen shows that the allele frequency of this variant in controls is similar to the frequency reported in the European population in the HapMap project. The frequency of SCCA-PD polymorphism is higher in patients with liver cirrhosis, compared to normal population and to patients with chronic hepatitis, suggesting a greater fibrogenic potential of this polymorphic variant than wild type SCCA-1. Patients with SCCA-PD mutation show lower levels of SCCA-IgM complex than patients with SCCA-1 wild type, with a statistically significant difference in patients with cirrhosis. SCCA-IgM is proposed in the follow-up of cirrhotic patients presenting SCCA-PD polymorphism to verify whether this group of cirrhotic patients is less prone to develop neoplastic liver transformation.