Vascular endothelial growth factor A, a potential non-invasive biomarker for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease progression

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: Liver fibrosis is the primary predictor of complications in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, there are currently no non-invasive prognostic tests to stratify patients at risk for hepatic fibrosis progression. This study aimed to explore whether plasma proteins could serve as non-invasive biomarkers for monitoring MASLD disease progression.

Materials and methods: Blood plasma protein analysis was performed on samples from a long-term follow-up study of patients with MASLD with repeated liver biopsies. Over 1100 proteins covering a broad range of biological processes were analyzed using 13 Olink® Target 96 panels. Protein level changes were compared between the different time points and between patients with or without an increase in the liver fibrosis stage between the two biopsies.

Results: Increased vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) plasma levels were significantly associated with liver fibrosis progression in patients with a histologically assessed increase in the fibrosis stage.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that the plasma protein VEGFA may be an effective biomarker for monitoring fibrosis progression in patients with MASLD.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Liver biopsy; NAFLD; Non-invasive tests (NITs); Olink Target 96; VEGFA.