title: Clinical significance of circulating miR-122 in patients with dual chronic hepatitis B and C virus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical significance of serum microRNA-122 (miR-122) has been shown in viral hepatitis B and C, respectively. Specifically, miR-122 stimulates hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication but suppresses hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. The profile and clinical significance of serum miR-122 in patients with dual chronic hepatitis B and C would be an interesting and important clinical issue.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 76 patients with HBV/HCV dual infection, 105 with HCV monoinfection and 39 with HBV monoinfection were enrolled. All patients received peginterferon alfa-2a (PEG-IFN)-based treatment. Serum miR-122 levels were quantified by using a sensitive hybridization-based assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, the serum miR-122 level was lower in HCV-monoinfected patients than in HBV-monoinfected patients, whereas HBV coinfection increased the expression of miR-122. In multivariate analysis, the serum miR-122 level was positively correlated with the serum HBsAg level in patients with HBV/HCV dual infection and those with HBV monoinfection. In dually infected patients who received PEG-IFN-based treatment, a high baseline miR-122 level was positively correlated with a greater reduction of the posttreatment serum HBsAg level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, the serum miR-122 level is highly correlated with the HBsAg level in HBV/HCV dually infected patients and may serve as a biomarker to predict posttreatment HBsAg decline.
authors: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, 1 Chang-Te Street, Taipei, 10002, Taiwan.
authors: Huei-Ru
authors: HR
authors: Cheng
authors: Jia-Horng
authors: JH
authors: Kao
authors: Hui-Lin
authors: HL
authors: Wu
authors: Tai-Chung
authors: TC
authors: Tseng
authors: Chen-Hua
authors: CH
authors: Liu
authors: Hung-Chih
authors: HC
authors: Yang
authors: Tung-Hung
authors: TH
authors: Su
authors: Pei-Jer
authors: PJ
authors: Chen
authors: Ding-Shinn
authors: DS
authors: Chen
authors: Chun-Jen
authors: CJ
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060085:Coinfection / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000502:physiology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; C531907:MIRN122 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a