Negative Association of Plasma Levels of Vitamin D and miR-378 With Viral Load in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Infection.

BACKGROUND

Chronic Hepatitis B (CHB) is accompanied by inflammation of liver because of infection with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). Previous studies revealed an inverse association between vitamin D and HBV DNA levels.

OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed to investigate the levels of 25 (OH) D3 (the steady form of vitamin D), miR-378 and HBV DNA in the patients with CHB.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred and seventy three patients with HBeAg negative CHB were recruited for the study. Plasma levels of HBVDNA and 25 (OH) D3 were quantified. The expression level of miR-378 in plasma was measured by a relative quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) assay.

RESULTS

In the pathway regression analysis, the plasma level of 25 (OH) D3 showed a significant inverse correlation with plasma levels of HBV DNA (-0.198, P = 0.008) and direct correlation with miR-378 (0.188, P = 0.013). Similarly plasma level of miR-378 had inverse association with HBV DNA level (-0.177, P = 0.020).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that vitamin D could involve in a miRNA- mediated regulatory pathway in control of HBV replication. Further studies are recommended to understand the effects of miR-378 and anti-infective action of vitamin D on Hepatitis B Virus.