title: Circulating miR-122 as a potential biomarker of liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Expression profiles indicate that miR-122 is specifically and abundantly expressed in liver. This study sought to determine miR-122 plasma concentrations in 15 apparently healthy subjects and 30 patients with liver disease, and clarify whether plasma miR-122 correlates with ALT.
  
  
  METHODS
  miR-122 was measured by quantitative PCR in healthy volunteers and patients with liver disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALT was increased in two out of 15 (13%) apparently healthy subjects and 17 out of 30 (57%) liver disease patients. In healthy subjects, median miR-122 plasma concentration was 51.7 copies/20 pg RNA (range 16.0-312.0). In liver disease patients, median miR-122 was significantly elevated to 202.3 copies/20 pg RNA (range 20.9-1160.0; Mann-Whitney test between median concentrations; p = 0.0016).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This small proof-of-principle study suggests that miR-122 may be a potential plasma biomarker of liver damage.
authors.affiliation: Merck Research Laboratories, Clinical Development Laboratory, Rahway, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Omar F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Laterza
authors.forename: Mitchell G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Philip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Garrett-Engele
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Korenblat
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lockwood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C531907:MIRN122 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D000410:Alanine Transaminase