Expressions of MiR-132 in patients with chronic hepatitis B, posthepatitic cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

B. Liu, X.-F. Yang, X.-P. Liang, L. Wang, M.-M. Shao, W.-X. Han, Y.-H. Wu

Department of Medical Technology, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China. lbei44531@gmail.com

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• Gastroenterology

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expressions of miR-132 in patients with chronic hepatitis B, posthepatitic cirrhosis and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to investigate its possible mechanism affecting the function of the body.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 125 patients with HBV, there were 44 cases of chronic hepatitis, 42 cases of liver cirrhosis and 39 cases of liver cancer. Their liver function and HBV-deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV-DNA) viral load as well as the expressions of micro ribonucleic acid-132 (miR-132), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), phosphorylated-protein kinase B (p-Akt) and hepatitis B X protein (HBx), were detected.

RESULTS: There were significant differences in some liver function indexes and the HBV-DNA level among the three groups of patients (p < 0.05). The HBV-DNA level was 6.91 Lg copies/mL in the liver cancer group and 5.34 Lg copies/mL in the chronic hepatitis B group. Differences in the expression level of miR-132 among the three groups were notable (p < 0.05), but this expression level had a negative correlation with the HBV-DNA level. The expressions of PI3K and p-Akt proteins and messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) were markedly different among the three groups (p < 0.05). HBx was expressed in the three groups of patients, and liver cancer patients with the highest expression degree of HBx accounted for 46%.

CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the expression of miR-132 among the three groups are evident, which may be associated with differences in liver function, the HBV-DNA level, HBx and the expressions of PI3K and p-Akt proteins to a certain degree.

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