Chronic Hepatitis B Virus in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus

MicroRNA-122 protects against interferon-α-induced hepatic inflammatory response via the Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription pathway

Significant overlap in the epidemiology and coinfection of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been identified, which accelerates the development of severe liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide. Interferon-α (IFN-α), a cytokine with antiviral properties, exerts profound physiological effects on innate immunity by regulating interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) within cells. However, the underlying mechanism of IFN-α in hepatic inflammation remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we utilized LO2 cells treated with the recombinant IFN-α protein and conducted microRNA (miR) sequencing. MiR-122-3p and miR-122-5p_R+1 were the most enriched miRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of IFN-α-induced inflammatory responses and were significantly downregulated by IFN-α treatment. Furthermore, we identified interferon induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1 (IFIT1) as a potential target gene of miR-122. IFN-α markedly increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and fibrogenic genes but decreased the mRNA expression of ISGs. Additionally, IFN-α significantly activated the NF-κB p-p65, MAPK p-p38, and Jak/STAT pathways to trigger inflammation. Importantly, supplementation with a miR-122 mimic significantly alleviated IFN-α-induced inflammation and induced IFIT1 expression in LO2 cells. Conversely, the suppression of miR-122 markedly exacerbated the inflammatory response triggered by IFN-α. Furthermore, silencing IFIT1 via an siRNA elicited an inflammatory response, whereas IFIT1 overexpression ameliorated hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in a manner comparable to that induced by IFN-α treatment. Taken together, our findings suggest that miR-122 and its target, IFIT1, reciprocally regulate the inflammatory response associated with IFN through the Jak/STAT pathway.

Stemness markers in hepatocellular carcinoma of Eastern vs. Western population: Etiology matters?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate. HCC development is associated with its underlying etiologies, mostly caused by infection of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), alcohol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and exposure to aflatoxins. These variables, together with human genetic susceptibility, contribute to HCC molecular heterogeneity, including at the cellular level. HCC initiation, tumor recurrence, and drug resistance rates have been attributed to the presence of liver cancer stem cells (CSC). This review summarizes available data regarding whether various HCC etiologies may be associated to the appearance of CSC biomarkers. It also described the genetic variations of tumoral tissues obtained from Western and Eastern populations, in particular to the oncogenic effect of HBV in the human genome.

Hepatitis C Virus Reactivation in Anti-HCV Antibody-Positive Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Following Anti-HBV Therapies

Background and Aims: Whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) reactivation occurs and how the viral load evolves in anti-HCV antibody-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who underwent nucleos(t)ide analogue (Nuc) therapies remain unsolved. Methods: A cohort of 66 such patients was studied. Results: At the start of Nuc treatment (baseline), all patients had detectable hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels (6.05 ± 1.88 log IU/mL), while HCV RNA levels (3.79 ± 1.43 log IU/mL) were detected (i.e., chronic hepatitis C (CHC)) in only 13 patients (19.7%). Following Nuc therapies, HBV DNA levels reached the nadirs at end of therapy (EOT) (6.05 ± 1.88 vs. 0.25 ± 0.99 log IU/mL, p < 0.0001) and relapsed at 6 months after EOT (6mEOT) at a level of 3.45 ± 2.64 log IU/mL compared with EOT (p < 0.0001). Among the 13 CHC patients, a non-significant decrease in HCV RNA was noted at EOT (3.52 ± 1.71 vs. 2.77 ± 2.63 log IU/mL, p = 0.166) but tended to decrease further at 6mEOT (2.77 ± 2.63 vs. 1.89 ± 2.06 log IU/mL, p = 0.063). Two of the thirteen CHC patients showed an increase in HCV-RNA ≥ 1 log10 IU/mL at EOT, and one of the fifty-three patients with undetectable HCV RNA at baseline (i.e., resolved past HCV infection) showed detectable HCV RNA at year 1 (3200 IU/mL) and year 2 (1240 IU/mL) following entecavir therapy. Conclusions: HCV reactivation did occur during HBV suppression, and the rate was 4.5% (3/66), 15.4% (2/13), and 1.9% (1/53), for all patients, CHC patients, and patients with resolved past HCV infection, respectively. The reverse HBV and HCV viral evolutions at 6mEOT indicate that HBV relapse may suppress HCV replication again.