The Investigation of microRNAs as Potential Biomarkers in Serum and Tissue for Hepatitis B Virus Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Mehmet Cimentepe¹, Gokhan Ozturk¹, Huseyin Tugsan Balli², Suheyla Komur³, Figen Doran⁴, Hulya Binokay⁵, Fugen Yarkin¹

¹Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey - ²Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey - ³ Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey - ⁴Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey

⁵Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey

Introduction: Aberrant microRNA expression is associated with the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study is to investigate of microRNAs as potential biomarkers in serum and tissue for hepatitis B virus related HCC.

Material and methods: The expression levels of miR-21- 5p, miR-122a-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-221-5p and miR-223-5p in serum and tissue samples from 35 HCC patients, 35 chronic HBV patients (CHB), and 30 healthy individuals (HC) were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR test (qRT-PCR).

Results: Serum and tissue expression levels of miR-21-5p and miR-221-5p were found upregulated in patients with HCC compared to CHB and HC, while serum and tissue miR-223-5p expression levels were downregulated. Whereas serum miR-122a-5p expression levels were upregulated in patients with HCC compared to CHB and HC, the tissue miR-122a-5p expression levels were downregulated. However, the expression levels of serum and tissue miR-182-5p were not found statistically significant between the working group. In the diagnostic evaluation of serum expression levels were determined in patients with HCC compared to HC by ROC (Reciever Operator Characteristic Curve) analysis. miR-21-5p AUC (Area Under Curve) value of 0.863, miR-122a 5p AUC value of 0.819, miR- 221-5p AUC value of 0.801 and miR 223-5p AUC value of 0.815 were detected. In tissue, miR-21-5p AUC value of 0.810, miR-122a-5p AUC value of 0.794, miR-221-5p AUC value of 0.800 and miR-223-5p AUC value of 0.783 were found. 

Conclusion: The miR-21-5p, miR-122a-5p, miR-221-5p and miR-223-5p have been shown used as potential non-invasive biomarker in the early diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.