When serum levels of TIMP-4, Endoglin and Pentraxin-3 were then compared between HCV patients with complete fibrosis/cirrhosis (F = 4) and those HCV with portal fibrosis with few or numerous fibrotic septae but without cirrhosis (F = 2/3), significantly increased levels of TIMP-4 and Endoglin in HCV patients with complete fibrosis/cirrhosis were found. The gene discussed is ENG; the disease is fibrosis.