title: Altered expression of A20 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is associated with the progression of chronic hepatitis B virus infection.
abstract: A20 is an important negative immune regulator but its role in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is still unknown. This present study was to investigate the potential role of A20 gene in the progression of chronic HBV infection. A total of 236 chronic HBV patients were included and consisted of 63 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 87 liver cirrhosis (LC) and 86 chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The mRNA level of A20 gene in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Receptor operating characteristic curve (ROC) was performed to determine the diagnostic value of A20 mRNA in different stages of chronic HBV infection. A20 mRNA levels in all HBV patients were significantly higher than healthy controls (n=30), of whom HCC and LC patients showed higher A20 mRNA level than CHB patients. In CHB patients, A20 mRNA was closely associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and total bilirubin. In LC patients, A20 mRNA was significantly associated with ALT, AST, albumin, haemoglobin and platelet. In HCC patients, elevated A20mRNA was also observed in patients with vascular invasion, liver cirrhosis and ascites, compared with those without. ROC analysis revealed that A20 mRNA could effectively discriminate LC from CHB, decompensated LC from compensated LC, and HCC from CHB. In conclusion, A20 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was associated with dynamic progression of chronic HBV infection. A20 gene might be a potential biomarker to determine the different stages of chronic HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.|Institute of Hepatology, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250014, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Yan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.|Institute of Hepatology, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D001201:Ascites / Q000473:pathology; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012372:ROC Curve; D000072598:Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; C076529:TNFAIP3 protein, human; D000072598:Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3; D001663:Bilirubin
keywords: A20; chronic hepatitis B; hepatitis B virus; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver cirrhosis