Chitinase-3 Like 1 Is a Profibrogenic Factor Overexpressed in Aging Livers and in Patients with Cirrhosis in the Aging Liver and in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Older age at the time of infection with hepatitis viruses is associated with an increased risk of liver fibrosis progression, but the mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that the pace of liver fibrosis progression may reflect changes in gene expression within the aging liver. To test this hypothesis, we compared gene expression in liver specimens from 54 adult liver donors, including 36 over 40 years of age, that we defined older and 18 between 18 and 40 years of age that we defined yonger. Microarray was performed using Affymetrix Human U133 Plus 2 arrays. Comparison of the genes between older and younger donors identified 13 genes that were differentially expressed with a p-value <0.001. liver specimens from 54 adult liver donors