MicroRNA-122 as a predictor of HBsAg seroclearance in hepatitis B and C dual infected patients treated with interferon and ribavirin

It has been demonstrated that microRNA-122 (miR-122) plays key roles in the modulation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. This study examined the role of miR-122 in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-HBV dual infection with active hepatitis C who received pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin dual therapy. We enrolled 121 patients with HCV-HBV dual infection after dual therapy. Stored serum was collected before treatment. RT-PCR was used to analyze miR-122. HBsAg seroclearance was noted in 37 (30.1%) cases during a median follow-up period of 5.4 years. miR-122 was significantly lower in HBsAg seroclearance patients than in non-HBsAg seroclearance patients (P < 0.014). Multivariate analysis showed that miR-122 was an independent factor of HBsAg seroclearance (OR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.09-0.98, P = 0.046). miR-122 was significantly higher in patients who were qHBsAg > 100 IU/mL versus ≤100 IU/mL (P < 0.001). We concluded that in patients with HBV-HCV dual infection with active hepatitis C, miR-122 was associated with HBsAg seroclearance after therapy and qHBsAg level before therapy, indicating that miR-122 plays key roles in modulating HBV replication.