title: Serum microRNA 143 and microRNA 215 as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is regarded as one of the most common malignancies and among the leading causes of cancer death among the whole world. The most urgent needs are to find sensitive markers for early diagnosis or monitor postoperative recurrence and to give adequate treatment for HCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reported as a group of small non-coding RNAs that can function as endogenous RNA interference to regulate expression of the targeted genes. This study was conducted to detect the application of miR-143 and miR-215 in the diagnosis of HCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 340 serum samples (127 samples from controls, 118 samples from hepatitis and 95 samples from HCC patients) were collected. The levels of the two mature miRNAs (miR-143 and miR-215) were detected by probe-based stem-loop quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) in controls, hepatitis and HCC patients. Besides, the relationship between miR-143 and miR-215 levels and clinical and pathological factors was explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the expression of serum miR-215 was distinctly increased in chronic hepatitis compared with controls (mean ± SD: 6.79 ± 0.72 vs. 3.46 ± 0.37, P < 0.001 and mean ± SD: 8.38 ± 0.87 vs. 3.46 ± 0.37, P < 0.001). In addition, we conduct ROC analyses to detect the potential application of miR-143 and miR-215 in the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis and HCC. Our results showed that miR-143 and miR-215 might be a potential biomarker for the hepatitis and HCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the expression of miR-143 and miR-215 in serum were significantly up-regulated in patients with chronic hepatitis and HCC. Due to its reasonable sensitivity and specificity for both diseases, miR-143 and miR-215 could be as potential circulating biomarkers.
  The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1048932281272754.
authors.forename: Zhu-qing
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li-na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Li-na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, China. yonglu_09@163.com.
authors.forename: Shu-ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019540:Area Under Curve; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C542359:MIRN143 microRNA, human; C553667:MIRN215 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs