Biomedical Research

Exosomal miRNAs was reported to play roles in the pathogenesis of various types of malignancies. This study aimed to identify the expression level of chosen miRNAs (miR-182, miR-301a and miR-373) in exosomes of serum and ascitic fluid in patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-related liver cirrhosis with or without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A literature search was performed to identify potential miRNAs involved in this cancer. Unpaired serum and ascitic fluid were obtained from 52 patients with NASH-related liver cirrhosis with or without HCC. Exosomal miRNA was isolated from all samples. Expression levels of miR-182, miR-301a and miR-373 were determined using qPCR. Serumderived exosomal mir-182, miR-301a and miR-373 were significantly up-regulated with fold-change of 1.77, 2.52, and 1.67 (p<0.05) respectively in NASH-induced liver cirrhosis with HCC as compared to NASH-induced liver cirrhosis without HCC. The expression levels of ascitic fluid-derived exosomal mir-182, miR-301a, and miR-373 were significantly up-regulated with fold-change of 1.6, 1.94 and 2.13 respectively in NASH-induced liver cirrhosis with HCC as compared to NASH-induced liver cirrhosis without HCC (p<0.05). High expression of the selected exosomal miRNAs in both serum and ascitic fluid suggesting the possible roles of these miRNAs as circulating biomarkers for NASH-induced liver cirrhosis with HCC.

Author(s): Allia Najmie Muhammadi Yusuf, MD Raja Affendia Raja Ali, Khairul Najmia Muhammad Nawawi, Norfilza Mohd Mokhtar
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