The microRNA (miRNA) signatures in different phases of the natural history of chronic hepatitis B virus infection

ABSTRACT: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial post-transcriptional regulators influencing HBV replication and host antiviral responses. Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection leads to severe liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While hepatic transcriptomes in different phases of natural history of chronic HBV infection were analyzed in several studies, the corresponding miRNA profiles in the liver samples are not examined yet. Liver biopsies from 43 chronically HBV-infected patients were collected and divided into four groups based on the clinical phases. RNA-seq analysis and miRNA microarray were performed using these liver biopsies and the results were subjected to bioinformatics analysis. Differential expression analysis of all 559 miRNAs identified a limited number of differentially expressed miRNAs in four phases of chronic HBV infection. Further, clustered heat maps revealed those patterns in miRNA expression in relation to the phases of chronic HBV infection. The intrahepatic miRNA profiles across different phases of natural history of chronic HBV infection are generally stable, with only a few significant changes in differential expression analysis, related to intrahepatic immune responses.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE298398 | GEO | 2026/08/19

REPOSITORIES: GEO