Study of serum microRNA19a and microRNA223 as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Bibliographic Information
Authors: Fathy.Elmougy F.A.; Mohamed R.A.; Hassan M.M.; Elsheikh S.M.; Marzban R.N.; Ahmed F.-E.M.; Elaraby R.E.
Journal: Gene Reports
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Publication Date: June 2019
Volume / Issue: Volume 15
Article No.: 100398
ISSN: 24520144
DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2019.100398
Scopus: View on Scopus
Document Type: Article
Authors and Affiliations
Fathy.Elmougy F.A., Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt; Mohamed R.A., Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt; Hassan M.M., Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt; Elsheikh S.M., Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt; Marzban R.N., Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt; Ahmed F.-E.M., Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt; Elaraby R.E., Central Lab, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently the fifth most common solid tumor worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer related death. miRNAs are 19- to 25-nucleotide-long RNAs, able to bind complementary sequences in 3′-untranslated regions (3′-UTR) of several target mRNAs to induce their degradation or translational repression. MiRNA19a and miRNA223 were hepato-specific miRNA, and reported to have aberrant regulation of these miRNAs in HCC versus non-tumor liver this may suggests their role in hepatocarcinogenesis, AFP-L3 assay was found to show clinical value for early HCC diagnosis even at low AFP levels. Aim of the work: The aim of this work was to investigate whether the expression levels of miRNA223 and miRNA19a are detectable and altered in the serum of HCV induced HCC patients compared with chronic HCV patients without HCC and to detect whether measurement of serum levels of the selected miRNAs alone or in combination with the serum marker AFPL3 can help to differentiate HCC from chronic HCV with liver cirrhosis in order to develop a non-invasive diagnostic tool for HCC. Subjects and methods: Analysis of the expression level of mature miRNA 223 (miRNA 223) and miRNA 19a (miRNA 19a) in serum of 120 Egyptian adults who were divided into three groups: 40 HCC patients on top of HCV, 40 HCV patients and 40 healthy subjects as control using quantitative reverse-transcription real time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results: Concerning miRNA-223, the median fold change was statistically significantly decreased in HCC patients when compared to both HCV and control groups. There was significant positive correlation between serum miRNA 223 with serum miRNA19a and with liver enlargement, tumor size in HCC group. Concerning miRNA-19a, the median fold change was statistically significantly increased in HCC patients when compared to both HCV and control. The serum AFPL3 showed statistically significant higher values in HCC patients than HCV non cirrhotic patients and control group (P-value < 0.001). Moreover, serum miRNA19a showed a statistically significant negative correlation with serum miRNA223. Conclusion: Current data suggest significant decrease in miRNA223 in serum of HCC patients and significant increase in miRNA19a in serum of HCC patients. © 2019
Keywords
Hepatocellular carcinoma-microRNA 19a-microRNA 223- AFPL3; alpha fetoprotein; biological marker; microRNA; microRNA 19a; microRNA 223; unclassified drug; adult; Article; blood level; cancer patient; cancer size; chronic hepatitis C; controlled study; diagnostic test accuracy study; diagnostic value; early cancer diagnosis; Egyptian; female; gene expression level; genetic correlation; Hepatitis C virus; hepatomegaly; human; liver cell carcinoma; liver cirrhosis; major clinical study; male; middle aged; priority journal; quantitative diagnosis; real time polymerase chain reaction; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; virus carcinogenesis
Citation Information
Scopus Citations: 11
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