The development of chronic viral
liver disease is associated with increased deposition of connective tissue in the liver. The aminoterminal propeptide of
procollagen type III (P-III-NP) is considered to reflect the metabolism of
collagen type III, one of the major
collagen types in
liver fibrosis. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate, whether S-P-III-NP in patients with viral
hepatitis was related to injury and repair processes in the liver. S-P-III-NP was determined in a prospective longitudinal study of 63 patients with acute viral
hepatitis followed to healing or development of chronic
liver disease. Two assays were applied. The P-III-NP Ria-gnost assay, which measures mainly the intact propeptide, and the P-III-NP Fab-assay, in which the antibody exhibits equal affinity to the intact propeptide as well as the degradation product col 1. At the onset of viral
hepatitis, S-P-III-NP determined in either assay was equally elevated in the two groups. From the second month of follow-up, significantly higher levels in both assays were observed in patients developing
chronic disease. During follow-up, the highest P-III-NP RIA-gnost values were seen in patients with
chronic active hepatitis, and active
cirrhosis. S-P-III-NP decreased towards normal levels during development of inactive
cirrhosis. In the individual patient, S-P-III-NP Ria-gnost was positively related to
transaminases. During follow-up of uncomplicated
hepatitis a normalization of
transaminases occurred before normalization of S-P-III-NP RIA-gnost. Considering, that S-P-III-NP, in contrast to the conventional laboratory variables, reflects the metabolism of
type III collagen, it is assumed that determination of S-P-III-NP may provide new information on fibrogenesis in viral
liver disease.