Evaluation of Circulating MicroRNA-۲۲۲ in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B virus Infection as a Potential Noninvasive Diagnostic Biomarker

Background and Aim: Circulating microRNAs have the potential to serve as biomarkers in diagnostics and monitoring of disease progression, including liver diseases. Therefore, this study investigated the alteration in the expression levels of microRNA-۲۲۲ (miR-۲۲۲) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) as a potential diagnostic biomarker. Materials and Methods: MiR-۲۲۲ expression was analyzed in the ۸۶ plasma samples, including ۴۳ patients with CHB and ۴۳ healthy individuals as a control group. RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis processes were done, and then the expression of the miR-۲۲۲ was measured by qRT-PCR. The Mann-Whitney U-test Spearman analyzed the results to show the correlation between miR-۲۲۲ and clinical parameters. Results: MiR-۲۲۲ had a difference in expression levels between the patient and control groups (miRNA-۲۲۲ Fold change= ۱.۳۸۴). Nevertheless, a statically significant difference was not observed (p value=۰.۲۶۹). Conclusion: Our study showed that even though changes in miR-۲۲۲ expression levels in the group of patients with chronic hepatitis B compared to the healthy group, it could not be utilized as a precise diagnostic biomarker, and more studies, on a broader scale, are needed to determine the role of this microRNA in patients with CHB.

Keywords:

Hepatitis B virus , chronic Infection , liver diseases , MicroRNAs , میکرو آر ان ای , ویروس هپاتیت ب , بایومارکر غیرتهاجمی , عفونت مزمن