Nourhan M El Samaloty1, Zeinab A Hassan2, Zeinab M Hefny3, Dalia H A Abdelaziz4. 1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Future University, Egypt. 2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Egypt. 3. Department of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ain Shams University, Egypt. 4. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, Egypt. Electronic address: dalia_abdelaziz@pharm.helwan.edu.eg.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Hepatitis C represents a potential public health problem worldwide. Insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are among the serious metabolic complications for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs which are implicated in the modulation of almost all biological processes. The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of both miR-155 and miR-34a in sera of chronic HCV patients with or without T2D. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, we investigated the expression of both miR-155 and miR-34a in 80 subjects (20 HCV, 19 HCV/T2D, 21 T2D and 19 healthy controls), using quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: Our results revealed significantly higher levels of both miR-155 and miR-34a in chronic HCV patients compared to healthy control subjects. However, only circulating miR-155 levels showed significant decline in diabetic HCV patients compared to non-diabetic HCV group. Intriguingly, the circulating levels of miR-155 were inversely correlated with HOMA-IR, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the insulin resistance and T2D in HCV are strongly related to miR-155. This may suggest a role for miR-155 in the pathogenesis of IR caused by HCV. However, further large-scale studies are required to confirm our findings.
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM: Hepatitis C represents a potential public health problem worldwide. Insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are among the serious metabolic complications for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs which are implicated in the modulation of almost all biological processes. The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of both miR-155 and miR-34a in sera of chronic HCVpatients with or without T2D. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, we investigated the expression of both miR-155 and miR-34a in 80 subjects (20 HCV, 19 HCV/T2D, 21 T2D and 19 healthy controls), using quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: Our results revealed significantly higher levels of both miR-155 and miR-34a in chronic HCVpatients compared to healthy control subjects. However, only circulating miR-155 levels showed significant decline in diabetic HCVpatients compared to non-diabetic HCV group. Intriguingly, the circulating levels of miR-155 were inversely correlated with HOMA-IR, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the insulin resistance and T2D in HCV are strongly related to miR-155. This may suggest a role for miR-155 in the pathogenesis of IR caused by HCV. However, further large-scale studies are required to confirm our findings.