西班牙OWL公司开发出诊断脂肪肝的基因芯片

第一种用于非酒精性脂肪肝诊断和判断预后的DNA芯片已经研制成功，从而可以辨别正常、脂肪肝以及非酒精性脂肪肝可能的患者。

非酒精性脂肪肝是一种病因不明的进行性肝脏疾病，组织学特征包括脂肪酸称沉积、肝细胞损伤、以及类似与酒精性肝炎的炎症。非酒精性脂肪肝是肝脏脂肪变性进展至肝硬化和肝细胞癌的关键阶段。非酒精性脂肪肝是转氨酶升高患者最常见的原因之一。肥胖与2型糖尿病与非酒精性脂肪肝密切相关。由于这两种疾病的发病率在不断攀升，因此非酒精性脂肪肝的发病率也将不断增加。

这种Hepatochip是由西班牙OWL基因公司、巴塞罗那临床医院肝病科、马德里Principe de Asturias医院联合研制开发的。芯片分析85种共同表达的与非酒精性脂肪肝相关基因，即将与Gregorio Maranon医院的肝病科联合进行验证。

Hepatochip方法检测肝脏组织样本中基因的共同表达，通过检测肝脏病理学进展/消退对治疗方案进行监控。这种芯片还被用于做为患非酒精性脂肪肝可能患者的预后判断工具，从而可以进行更精确的诊断并为健康保健工作者指导患者进行个体化治疗。除此之外，这种芯片通过对非酒精性脂肪肝患者接受治疗之前、之中和之后检测病理进展或者消退，来评估非酒精性脂肪肝的治疗效果。
 
Chip for Diagnosis of Steatohepatitis
 
The first DNA chip for the diagnosis and prognosis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has been developed, allowing discrimination among normal-, steatosis-, and NASH-predisposed subjects.

NASH is a progressive disease of the liver of unknown etiology, characterized histologically by fatty acid accumulation, hepatocyte damage, and inflammation resembling alcoholic hepatitis. NASH is a critical stage in the process that extends from hepatic steatosis to cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma. NASH is one of the most common causes of elevated aminotransfereases in patients referred for evaluation to hepatologists. Obesity and type-2 diabetes are associated with NASH. Since prevalence is increasing, so will the prevalence of NASH.

The Hepatochip was developed by OWL Genomics (Zamudio, Spain) in collaboration with the hepatology services of the Clinic Hospital in Barcelona and Principe de Asturias Hospital in Madrid. The chip analyzes the co-expression of 85 genes that are related with NASH and is about to be validated in collaboration with the hepatology service of Gregorio Maranon Hospital (Madrid).

The Hepatochip method determines the co-expression of genes in the liver tissue sample, providing monitoring treatment regimens to check progression/regression of these liver pathologies. The chip can also be used as a prognostic tool for NASH-disposed patients, to make a more finely tuned diagnosis and allow healthcare professionals to tailor treatment to individual patient needs. In addition, the chip assesses the efficacy of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis treatment by determining progression or regression of NASH in patients before, during, and after NASH treatment.