MFAP4 as a novel biomarker for predicting liver fibrosis and prognosis in infants with biliary atresia through the integration of bioinformatics with clinical data analysis.

{"sci_version": "1.2", "schema": "https://corpus.bntrg.co.uk/sci/1.0/sci.schema.json", "id": "pmid:40492258", "kind": "science-record", "revision": 4, "content_hash": "sha256:5a4eaaab7186fd91a64f3b1c142314a802e35772d9bf9aa5e1237153a856fa5d", "created_at": "2026-11-01T20:30:36Z", "updated_at": "2026-11-01T22:56:38Z", "generator": {"name": "corpus-assay-engine", "run_id": "reading-sci-2026-11-01"}, "paper": {"state": "complete", "title": "MFAP4 as a novel biomarker for predicting liver fibrosis and prognosis in infants with biliary atresia through the integration of bioinformatics with clinical data analysis.", "doi": "10.3389/fped.2025.1611564", "pmid": "40492258", "authors": ["Chunxiao Yang", "Jianghua Zhan"], "journal": "Frontiers in pediatrics", "year": 2025, "abstract": "Background: Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive obliteration of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts. Our study aimed to identify and validate hub genes that are differentially expressed in BA, and to investigate their relationship with liver fibrosis.\nMethods: The BA microarray datasets GSE46960 and GSE15235 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Clinical BA liver tissue samples were collected for quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting (WB). Serum samples were analyzed for MFAP4 content using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the corresponding clinical data of pediatric patients were collected. The relationship between serum MFAP4 levels and liver fibrosis, as well as prognosis, was investigated using ROC curve analysis. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves were used to validate the prognostic significance of MFAP4 levels.\nResults: Through bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation, MFAP4 was identified as a hub gene. MFAP4 via PCR and immunohistochemistry is significantly upregulated in biliary atresia compared to total functional cyst liver tissue. Serum MFAP4 levels accurately reflects the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with BA. High serum MFAP4 levels predicted a poorer native liver survival rate one year after Kasai surgery.\nConclusions: We discovered that MFAP4 is a crucial BA-associated gene, and validated its expression in BA. Furthermore, serum MFAP4 levels may serve as predictive markers for the degree of liver fibrosis and autologous liver survival after Kasai surgery.", "claims": [{"id": "claim-method", "statement": "The relationship between serum MFAP4 levels and liver fibrosis, as well as prognosis, was investigated using ROC curve analysis. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves were used to validate the prognostic significance of MFAP4 levels.", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:40492258", "locator": "sections[0] \"Abstract\" paragraph 2", "quote": "The relationship between serum MFAP4 levels and liver fibrosis, as well as prognosis, was investigated using ROC curve analysis. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves were used to validate the prognostic significance of MFAP4 levels."}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-data-access", "statement": "The datasets GSE46960 and GSE15235 used in the current study are available in the GEO repository (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/) or from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:40492258", "locator": "sections[23] \"Data availability statement\" paragraph 2", "quote": "The datasets GSE46960 and GSE15235 used in the current study are available in the GEO repository (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/) or from the corresponding author upon reasonable request."}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-target-result", "statement": "Serum MFAP4 levels accurately reflects the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with BA.", "kind": "quantitative", "target": {"value": 0.05, "unit": "p-value", "tolerance": null, "source": "When using serum MFAP4 and MMP7 to predict the severity of liver fibrosis in BA patients, higher serum MFAP4 levels were found to be superior in predicting severe liver fibrosis [AUC = 0.726] (P < 0.05, Figure 4B), compared to MMP7 [AUC = 0.666], indicating that serum MFAP4 more accurately reflects the degree of liver fibrosis in BA patients."}, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:40492258", "locator": "sections[0] \"Abstract\" paragraph 3", "quote": "Serum MFAP4 levels accurately reflects the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with BA."}, {"asset": "source:pmid:40492258", "locator": "sections[16] \"MFAP4 serum levels in the cohorts and predicted liver fibrosis and Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) outcomes\" paragraph 4", "quote": "When using serum MFAP4 and MMP7 to predict the severity of liver fibrosis in BA patients, higher serum MFAP4 levels were found to be superior in predicting severe liver fibrosis [AUC = 0.726] (P < 0.05, Figure 4B), compared to MMP7 [AUC = 0.666], indicating that serum MFAP4 more accurately reflects the degree of liver fibrosis in BA patients."}, {"asset": "source:pmid:40492258", "locator": "sections[16] \"MFAP4 serum levels in the cohorts and predicted liver fibrosis and Kasai portoenterostomy (KPE) outcomes\" paragraph 4", "quote": "In time-dependent ROC analysis, high serum MFAP4 predicted a poorer native liver survival rate one year after Kasai surgery [AUC = 0.725] (P < 0.05, Figure 4C), outperforming MMP7 [AUC = 0.409]."}], "state": "complete"}], "gaps": []}, "experiment": {"state": "complete", "objective": "Serum MFAP4 levels accurately reflects the degree of liver fibrosis in patients with BA.", "steps": [{"id": "read_published_estimate", "order": 1, "name": "Read the published estimate from the source", "kind": "other", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The claim, method and evidence span published with the source article.", "duration_hours": null, "parameters": {}, "inputs": ["source:pmid:40492258"], "outputs": ["the published estimate and its evidence"], "instruments": [], "reagents": []}, {"id": "obtain_source_data", "order": 2, "name": "Obtain the source data from the named repository", "kind": "data-preparation", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The GEO series accession resolves and its sample accessions are listed. 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