title: Circulating miRNAs as Predictor Markers for Activation of Hepatic Stellate Cells and Progression of HCV-Induced Liver Fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix that occurs by activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), which has been identified as the major driver of liver fibrosis. Several studies confirmed that miRNAs have regulatory effects on the activation of HSCs by affecting the signaling pathways. The aim of this study was to develop non-invasive diagnostic markers by measuring different circulating miRNAs in serum as predictor markers for early diagnosis of liver fibrosis and its progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this case-control study, we enrolled 66 subjects with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) with early stage of fibrosis and 65 subjects with CHC with late-stage fibrosis. Also, 40 subjects were included as normal controls. The six main miRNAs, i.e., miR-138, miR-140, miR-143, miR-325, miR-328, and miR-349, were measured using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the cases of CHC both with early and late stage of fibrosis, the circulating levels of the six main miRNAs were significantly higher than the levels in the control group. ROC analysis indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of miR-138 were 89.3% and 71.43%, respectively, in the early stage of fibrosis. In the late stage, the sensitivity and specificity of miR-138 were 89.3 and 93.02%, respectively, whereas, for miR-143, they were 75.0 and 88.4%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Circulating miR-138 could serve as a non-invasive biomarker for the detection of early fibrosis. Also, miR-138 and miR-143 could be specific biomarkers for indicating the late stage of liver fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: El-Ahwany
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Faten
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.affiliation: Immunology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zoheiry
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shemis
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nosseir
authors.affiliation: Environmental Research Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hoda Abu
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Taleb
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Maged
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El Ghannam
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
authors.forename: Rafaat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atta
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Suher
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zada
keywords: chronic hepatitis C; hepatic stellate cell; liver fibrosis; microRNAs