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Expression of miR-15b-5p and toll-like receptor4 as potential novel diagnostic biomarkers for hepatitis C virus-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

  • 0Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, GOTHI, Cairo, Egypt.
Non-Coding RNA Research +

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January 23, 2025

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January 23, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

MicroRNA 15b-5p shows high potential as a non-invasive biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) early detection, outperforming Toll-like receptor 4. This finding offers a promising new avenue for diagnosing this common cancer.

Area Of Science

  • Hepatology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background

  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant global health concern, ranking high in cancer incidence for both sexes.
  • Early detection of HCC is crucial for improving patient outcomes and reducing mortality.
  • MicroRNAs and Toll-like receptors are emerging as potential non-invasive biomarkers for HCC.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To investigate the diagnostic performance of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) and miRNA 15b-5p as non-invasive biomarkers for HCC.
  • To evaluate their potential as early detection approaches for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Main Methods

  • A case-control study involving 400 participants: 100 healthy controls, 100 hepatitis C (HCV) patients without cirrhosis/HCC, 100 HCV with cirrhosis patients, and 100 HCC and HCV patients.
  • HCC diagnosis confirmed using American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) guidelines.
  • Real-time PCR used to analyze miRNA 15b-5p and TLR-4 expression profiles; triphasic computed tomography assessed HCC tumor size.

Main Results

  • MiRNA 15b-5p demonstrated significant diagnostic performance in differentiating HCC from controls, with 90% sensitivity and 88% specificity (AUC: 0.935, p < 0.001).
  • Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) showed moderate diagnostic performance, with 85% sensitivity and 86% specificity (AUC: 0.885, p < 0.001).
  • MiRNA 15b-5p exhibited superior diagnostic ability compared to TLR-4 in recognizing HCC.

Conclusions

  • MiRNA 15b-5p holds significant potential as a more precise and predictive non-invasive biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma than TLR-4.
  • Further research on diverse miRNA profiles and HCC cases across various etiologies is necessary to refine diagnostic strategies.
  • These findings pave the way for developing more effective early detection and management strategies for HCC.

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