Diagnostic Value of MicroRNA (miR-122) in Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) in Egyptian Patients
Hatim A. El-Baz
Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Division, Department of Biochemistry, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt and Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, KSA.
Ahmed S. Elharoun
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, KSA.
Tarek E. Hodhod
Gastroenterology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Ali H. Amin
Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Mostafa Abo-Zeid
Gastroenterology Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
Tamer E. Mosa *
Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Division, Department of Biochemistry, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: In Egypt, the prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is 14% of whole population and about 80% of the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma have underling hepatitis C.
Aim: To explore the diagnostic value of serum miR-122 as non-invasive diagnostic markers of (HCV)- (HCC).
Methodology: The study included 102 healthy controls (group I), in addition to 228 patients, they were divided into 2 groups: 120 CHC patients (group II), and 108 hepatitis C patients with HCC (group III). All samples underwent full clinical assessment and laboratory investigations additionally to the detection of the concentration of blood serum miR-122 expression by RT-PCR. Selected biomarkers were assessed, evaluated and correlated with degree of liver damage.
Results: Revealed that miR-122 had the highest efficiency in prediction of liver cell damage. Also, miR-122 was strongly correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and alpha fetoprotein (α-FP) in HCC patients.
Conclusions: Plasma miR-122 can be considered as a potential biomarker, for detection of HCC combined with VEGF and α -FP.
Keywords: miR-122, MicroRNA, HCC, Egyptian patients.