title: Serum microRNA-29 levels correlate with disease progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the role of serum microRNA-29 (miR-29) as a biomarker for the prediction of disease progression in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay, serum miR-29a, miR-29b and miR-29c levels were measured in patients with chronic HBV infection, and the correlation between serum miR-29 levels and the participants' liver biochemistry, fibrotic stage and necroinflammation grade were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Altogether 91 patients with chronic HBV infection were divided by fibrotic stage into S0/1 (no or mild fibrosis), S2/3 (progressive fibrosis) and S4 (cirrhosis) subgroups, and 12 healthy individuals were also included in the study. Serum miR-29a and miR-29c in S0-3 were significantly higher than those in S4 patients (P < 0.001); however, the difference between S0/1 and S2/3 patients was not significant. miR-29b levels were higher in S0/1 patients than in other patient groups, but did not differ between S2/3 and S4 patients. At fibrotic stages of S0/1 and S2/3, patients with no or mild liver inflammation (G0/1) tended to express higher miR-29 levels than those with advanced inflammation (G2-4) (P > 0.05). miR-29a-c showed significant correlation with alanine transaminase levels (P < 0.05 for miR-29a, miR-29b and miR-29c) in S0-3 patients. The expression of miR-29 was highest in immune-tolerant patients (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum miR-29 levels are negatively correlated with liver fibrotic stages and necroinflammation grades in patients with chronic HBV infection. miR-29 appears to be a novel biomarkers for predicting disease progression in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jian Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Kang Kang
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Qing Xia
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Ming Quan
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008099:Liver / Q000503:physiopathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; C532045:MIRN29a microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: biomarker; chronic hepatitis B; hepatitis B virus; liver fibrosis; microRNAs