Role of serum organic solute transporter alpha/beta and sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

This study aimed to assess the role of OST-α, OST-β and NTCP in patients with ICP, with a view to determine patients with severe prognosis and to minimize adverse fetal outcomes. Sixty-nine pregnant women diagnosed with ICP and 50 healthy women were included the study. Serum OST-α, OST-β and NTCP were measured using ELISA kits. The median OST-α levels were 176.3 pg/mL in women with ICP and 201 pg/mL in healthy subjects (p = 0.205). The median OST-β levels were found to be 51.17 pg/mL in patients with ICP and 40.9 pg/mL in controls (p = 0.033). Median NTCP levels were 519.7 ng/mL in the ICP group and 483.3 ng/mL in healthy women (p = 0.051). This is the first study to evaluate serum levels of OST-α, OST-β and NTCP in patients with ICP. It is likely that OST-α, OST-β and NTCP contribute to the etiopathogenesis of ICP. Serum OST-α and OST-β levels can be used as diagnostic and monitoring markers of ICP, and the inhibition of these molecules could provide therapeutic benefit in ICP by reducing the circulation of enterohepatic bile acids.