MicroRNA-122 as a predictor of HBsAg seroclearance in hepatitis B and C dual infected patients treated with interferon and ribavirin

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that microRNA-122 (miR-122) plays key roles in the modulation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. This study examined the role of miR-122 in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-HBV dual infection with active hepatitis C who received pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin dual therapy. We enrolled 121 patients with HCV-HBV dual infection after dual therapy. Stored serum was collected before treatment. RT-PCR was used to analyze miR-122. HBsAg seroclearance was noted in 37 (30.1%) cases during a median follow-up period of 5.4 years. miR-122 was significantly lower in HBsAg seroclearance patients than in non-HBsAg seroclearance patients (P < 0.014). Multivariate analysis showed that miR-122 was an independent factor of HBsAg seroclearance (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.09–0.98, P = 0.046). miR-122 was significantly higher in patients who were qHBsAg > 100 IU/mL versus ≤100 IU/mL (P < 0.001). We concluded that in patients with HBV-HCV dual infection with active hepatitis C, miR-122 was associated with HBsAg seroclearance after therapy and qHBsAg level before therapy, indicating that miR-122 plays key roles in modulating HBV replication.

Hepatitis B-related outcomes following direct-acting antiviral therapy in Taiwanese patients with chronic HBV/HCV co-infection

“…For patients with HBsAg seroclearance, we observed persistently lower serial levels of miR-122 and miR-125b, as observed in previous studies. 35,36 The correlation between lower serum miR-122 levels, and lower HBsAg and HBV DNA levels suggest superior host immune control in this subgroup. 35,36 Increased IP-10 levels have been found in patients with chronic HCV, which reflects the exhausted and inactive T-cell and type I IFN responses.…”

“…35,36 The correlation between lower serum miR-122 levels, and lower HBsAg and HBV DNA levels suggest superior host immune control in this subgroup. 35,36 Increased IP-10 levels have been found in patients with chronic HCV, which reflects the exhausted and inactive T-cell and type I IFN responses. 37 A rapid decline of IP-10 levels after DAA treatment without parallel changes in functional interferon-c HCV-specific T-cell responses suggests a reduction in broad immune activation without early recovery of HCV-specific antiviral T-cell responses after HCV eradication.…”

The Clinical Application of MicroRNAs in Infectious Disease

“…The most commonly identified biomarker across all ex-miRNA biomarkers of infection studies is miR-122 because of the over-representation of hepatitis studies in ex-miRNA biomarker studies. Studies of hepatitis C and hepatitis B have repeatedly found an association between circulating miR-122 and an aspect of infection ( 202 – 204 ). miR-122 is highly expressed by hepatocytes, and the association between levels of serum miR-122 and hepatitis may be the result of hepatocyte death.…”

“…miR-122 is highly expressed by hepatocytes, and the association between levels of serum miR-122 and hepatitis may be the result of hepatocyte death. Upregulation of serum miR-122 is associated with HCV and HBV infection per se , correlates with viral DNA titers and falls during antiviral treatment ( 202 – 204 ). Conflicting evidence exists regarding the use of baseline miR-122 to prognosticate likelihood of response to treatment and liver cirrhosis ( 202 – 205 ).…”

Circulating microRNA‐122 levels are important predictor of hepatitis B virus surface antigen seroclearance

“…Previous studies reported that serum miR‐122 levels correlated with HBsAg levels in patients infected with both HBV and HCV and that high levels of this parameters could be a potentially suitable index for the prediction of posttreatment HBsAg decline . To our knowledge, this is the first large‐scale long‐term follow‐up cohort study to report the importance of serum miR‐122 level in the prediction of HBsAg seroclearance in patients infected with HBV alone who had not received antiviral therapy.…”