A differential label-fee proteomics approach was performed using 27 biopsies from patients with HCV-associated hepatic fibrosis. For statistical analysis the patients were grouped into a low and a high fibrosis group. The low fibrosis group contained 13 patients of fibrosis stages 0, 1 and 2, whereas the high fibrosis group contained 14 patients of fibrosis stages 3 and 4 (fibrosis stages according to Batts-Ludwig classification).