Detection of miR-122 by fluorescence real-time PCR in blood from patients with chronic hepatitis B and C infections. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ma, Zhen-Hua; Sun, Cheng-Xue; Shi, Hong; Fan, Jian-Hua; Song, Yu-Guo; Cong, Pei-Jun; Kong, Xiang-Min; Hao, Da-Lin
• Is Part Of: Cytokine. Volume 131(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: Chronic hepatitis B -- Chronic hepatitis C -- miR-122 -- Fluorescence real-time PCR; ALP alkaline phosphatase -- ALT alanine transaminase -- AST aspartate aminotransferase -- CHB chronic hepatitis B -- CHC chronic hepatitis C -- DBiL direct bilirubin -- γ-GT γ-glutamyl transpeptidase -- HCs healthy controls -- HBV hepatitis B virus -- HCV hepatitis C virus -- TBiL total bilirubin; Cytokines -- Periodicals; 571.844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155076
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1043-4666

Abstract

Abstract: Background: This study aims to determine whether relative miR-122 levels in peripheral blood are correlated with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection and viral replication to determine whether miR-122 can be a new marker for liver injury. Methods: MicroRNA (miRNA) was extracted from the peripheral blood of 20 CHB patients, 20 CHC patients, and 20 healthy controls. The levels of miR-122 were determined using fluorescence real-time reverse transcription PCR. Then, the associations of miR-122 with CHB and CHC were analyzed, and its correlation with other markers of liver function and viral replication were determined. Results: The expression level of miR-122 in patients with CHB was significantly higher when compared to subjects in the control group ( P = 0.007) or CHC patients ( P = 0.005). Furthermore, the miR-122 level in patients with CHC was somewhat higher when compared to healthy controls (66% higher), but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.229). MiR-122 levels were significantly correlated with ALT (correlation coefficient [R] = 0.7, P < 0.001), AST (R = 0.71, P < 0.001), and HBV NA (R = 0.9, P < 0.001). The regression analysis indicated that the AUC of miR-122 levels in the diagnosis of CHB was 0.87, with a sensitivity of 0.8 and a specificity of 0.8. Conclusion: MiR-122 can be used to distinguish healthy persons and patients with CHB infection with high sensitivity and specificity. These present findings presented that the complex and context-specific associations of miR-122 with liver diseases, suggesting that this may be a promising marker for liver injury.