Expression Profiling of Cellular MicroRNA in Asymptomatic HBsAg Carriers and Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may serve as potential molecular markers to predict liver injury resulting from chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In the present study, we want to study the expression profile and clinical significance of miRNAs at different stages of CHB virus infection. METHODS: Using miRNA microarray, we investigated the global expression profiles of cellular miRNA in asymptomatic hepatitis B antigen carriers (ASCs) and CHB patients, compared with healthy controls (HCs). RESULTS: We identified 79 and 203 differentially expressed miRNAs in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of ASCs and CHB patients compared to HCs, respectively. Some of these miRNAs were common to ASCs and CHB patients, but another set of miRNAs that showed differential expression between ASCs and CHB patients was also identified. Gene ontology and pathway enrichment analysis showed that the target genes of the identified miRNAs played a role in important biological functions, such as learning or memory, cell-cell adherens junction, ion channel inhibitor activity, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and p53 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: We identified some significant differentially expressed miRNA in different phases of HBV infection, which might serve as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in the future.