title: LncRNA HULC affects the differentiation of Treg in HBV-related liver cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recently, a couple of the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proved to participate in hepatocellular carcinoma development and progression. However, their associations with liver cirrhosis have not been reported. In this study, we aimed to identify the affection of HULC on regulatory T cells (Tregs) differentiation in HBV-related liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven lncRNAs were chosen as candidate lncRNAs based on the association with liver disease. The candidate lncRNAs were validated by RT-qPCR. Additional flow cytometry of Tregs was performed in 34 HBV-related liver cirrhosis patients and 34 healthy volunteers. To investigate the function of HULC, HULC expression was modified by gene overexpression via lentivirus vector. RIP assay was performed further to validate the association between HULC and p18.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Circulation Tregs and HULC were significantly up-regulated in plasma samples of HBV-related cirrhosis patients. In addition, overexpression of HULC by lentivirus vector elevated Treg frequency in vitro. Furthermore, RIP assay showed that HULC down-regulated the level of p18 directly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We confirmed the effects of HULC on Tregs differentiation in HBV-related liver cirrhosis. In addition, it was proved that HULC regulates the function of Tregs through down-regulated the level of p18 directly.
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Kunpeng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Xuhao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yunjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Xinzheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Liver Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital and Key Laboratory on Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Ministry of Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, PR China. Electronic address: wangxuehao1941@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xuehao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C561566:HOTAIR long untranslated RNA, human; C574685:HULC long non-coding RNA, human; C498907:MEG3 non-coding RNA, human; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding
keywords: HBV-related cirrhosis; HULC; Long non-coding RNAs; Tregs; p18