Serum levels of microRNAs can specifically predict liver injury of chronic hepatitis B

Figure 1 Serum levels of microRNAs in chronic hepatitis B, nonalcohlic steatohepatitis and healthy donors. The levels of serum miR-122 (A), miR-638 (B), miR-572 (C), miR-575 (D), miR-744 (E) and miR-30c (F) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) (n = 24), with nonalcohlic steatohepatitis (NASH) (n = 20) and healthy donors (Ctrl) (n = 24) were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The line at each group represents the median value of indicated miRNA. The values are normalized to miR-24 and shown in log₁₀ scale at y-axis. P values on the top are NASH vs Ctrl, on the left are CHB vs Ctrl and on the right are NASH vs Ctrl.

Figure 2 Receiver-operator characteristic curve analyses. Receiver-operator characteristic curves of the miR-122, -638, -572, -575 and -744 were established to discriminate chronic hepatitis B (CHB) from healthy donor (Ctrl) (A), nonalcohlic steatohepatitis (NASH) from Ctrl (B) and CHB from NASH (C).

Figure 3 Aberrant levels of serum miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 correlate with the liver pathological parameters. A: Canonical correlation analysis. The correlation between microRNA (miRNA) variables and liver function parameter variables were calculated by canonical correlation analysis. All the data were log₁₀ transformed. Correlation coefficient r = 0.74 and P < 1.00 × 10^-4. miRNAs: miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744; Liver function parameters: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBIL) and bile acid; B: Comparison of serum miRNAs, ALT and AST in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and nonalcohlic steatohepatitis (NASH). The comparison among the levels of ALT, AST, miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 in serum samples collected from patients with NASH and CHB (indicated on x-axis). The relative change of ALT, AST and miRNA expression levels were expressed ratio in log₂ compared with healthy control (Ctrl) (indicated on y-axis). The values of ALT, AST and miRNA fold change are the average of samples from CHB (n = 24), NASH (n = 20) and Ctrls (n = 24), and the SD is shown as an error bar; C, D: Scatter plot of principal components analysis. All the data were log₁₀ transformed to carry out analysis. Scatter plot of first two principal component of miRNAs variables including miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 (C), and liver function parameters including ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, TBIL and bile acid (D) in CHB (n = 24), NASH (n = 20) and Ctrls (n = 24).