Investigation of fibronectin expression by white blood cells in diffuse liver disease of viral etiology

We investigated plasma and cell fibronectin level in 14 patients with chronic liver diseases. The level of plasma fibronectin was not changed in chronic hepatitis and it was decreased in liver cirrhosis. In chronic hepatitis the number of lymphocytes expressed fibronectin on the surface and inside the cells was increased; in cirrhosis only the lymphocyte amount with intracellular FN was increased. Investigation of the expression of fibronectin by blood cells can be useful for studying molecular mechanisms of immune processes and searching for new medicines.