Elevated miR-33a and miR-224 in steatotic chronic hepatitis Cliver biopsies

AIM:To assess the expression of selected microRNAs(miRNA) in hepatitis C,steatotic hepatitis C,noninfected steatotic and normal liver tissues.METHODS:The relative expression levels of miR-21,miR-33 a,miR-96,miR-122,miR-125 b,miR-221 and miR-224 were determined in 76 RNA samples isolated from 18 non-steatotic and 28 steatotic chronic hepatitis C(CHC and CHC-Steatosis,respectively) cases,18 non-infected,steatotic liver biopsies of metabolic origin(Steatosis) and 12 normal formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded liver tissues using TaqMan MicroRNA Assays.All CHC biopsy samples were obtained prior to initiating therapy.Patients' serum biochemical values,which included glucose,triglyceride,cholesterol,alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),gamma-glutamyl-transferase(GGT),alkaline phosphatase(AP),were obtained and correlated with relative miRNA expression.RESULTS:When compared with control non-infected liver samples,miR-122 and miR-221 levels were reduced in CHC-Steatosis(P < 0.03) and in CHC,CHCSteatosis and Steatosis(P < 0.01).Alternatively,the expression of miR-33 a and miR-224 were elevated in CHC-Steatosis and Steatosis in comparison to control tissue(P < 0.01).The levels of miR-33 a and miR-224 in CHC-Steatosis(P < 0.02) and miR-224 in Steatosis(P < 0.001) were increased in comparison to CHC samples.By contrast,the expression of miR-21 did not differ statistically between diseased and normal liver samples.Levels of miR-33 a correlated negatively with serum AST and AP levels in Steatosis as well as with necroinflammatory grade in CHC,whereas miR-21 correlated positively with AST in Steatosis and displayed negative correlation with triglyceride level in CHC-Steatosis.In contrast,miRNA levels were not correlated with ALT,GGT,cholesterol levels or fibrosis stage.CONCLUSION:Differences in miRNA expression were observed between CHC and steatotic CHC,CHC and steatotic liver,but not between steatotic CHC and steatotic liver of metabolic origin.