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

Yi-Hao Yen,Ming-Tsung Lin,Chien-Hung Chen,Cheng-Kun Wu,Chao-Min Huang,Chung-Lung Cho,Chuan-Mo Lee,Ming-Chao Tsai,Chao-Hung Hung,Sin-Hua Moi,Kuo-Chin Chang,Cheng-Hong Yang,Tsung-Hui Hu,Sheng-Nan Lu,Jing-Houng Wang,Po-Lin Tseng,Kuo-Liang Wei

doi:10.1038/srep33816

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.

Highlights

In Taiwan, where patients typically acquire hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection perinatally or during early childhood, HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) dual infection is often the result of HCV superinfection
We found that in patients dually infected with chronic HBV-HCV and active hepatitis C, the baseline MicroRNA -122 (miR-122) level was correlated with qHBsAg levels at baseline and could be used to predict hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance after Peg-IFN and RBV treatment
We found that miR-122 was not associated with sustained virological response (SVR) according to multivariate analysis

Summary

Introduction

In Taiwan, where patients typically acquire hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection perinatally or during early childhood, HBV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) dual infection is often the result of HCV superinfection. Univariate analysis (Table 5) showed that male patients (P = 0.043), age > 60 years (P = 0.003), ALT > 80 IU/mL (P = 0.001), miR-122 ≤ −4 (P = 0.014) and qHBsAg < 100 IU/mL (P < 0.001) were associated with HBsAg seroclearance.

Results

Conclusion