Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Internal Medicine

Introduction:Liver fibrosis is a part of the structural and functional changes in most of chronic liver diseases.It was considered as an irreversible process, but now it is proved to be a dynamic process with the potential for significant resolution. Extracellular matrix(ECM) components accumulate in the liver as a result of imbalances in their production and degradation progressingultimately to cirrhosis.(Cho SW et al, 2007) Prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis often depends on their hepatic functional reserve.For many years, liver biopsy was considered the golden test for staging of hepatic fibrosis. Since it is associated with many complications, blood tests for assessment of hepatic fibrosis were studied including indirect tests based on routine liver function parameters, direct tests based on extracellular matrix proteins.(Nguyen-Khac E and Capron D, 2006) Nogo-B and the reticulum (Rtn) family, including Rtn1, Rtn2, Rtn3 and Rtn4, are primarily localized in the endoplasmic reticulum.(Oertle Tand Schwab ME.2003)Nogo-B is encoded by gene Rtn4, with two other isoforms, Nogo-A and Nogo-C. Nogo-B is expressed widely in tissues like liver, kidney, and lung(Zhang D, et al. 2011) Playinga critical role in vascular remodeling(Acevedo L, et al. 2004), cell migration and proliferation. (Yu J, et al. 2009)However, its role in the liver and liver cancers is not fully understood

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