Baseline serum exosome-derived miRNAs predict HBeAg seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with peginterferon

J Med Virol. 2021 Aug;93(8):4939-4948. doi: 10.1002/jmv.26916. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the value of baseline serum exosome-derived miRNAs for predicting HBeAg seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with peginterferon (Peg-IFN). A total of 120 treatment-naïve HBeAg-positive CHB patients who received Peg-IFN therapy (48 weeks) were enrolled. Next-generation sequencing was performed to screen the serum exosomal miRNAs that were associated with Peg-IFN treatment outcome, and qRT-PCR was used to validate them. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of biomarkers. Thirty-three patients (27.5%) achieved HBeAg seroconversion (response group), and 87 patients (72.5%) did not achieve HBeAg seroconversion (nonresponse group). In the identification cohort, 40 serum exosome-derived miRNAs were differentially expressed between the response group (four patients) and the nonresponse group (four patients). In the confirmation cohort, the expression levels of serum exosomal miR-194-5p (p < .001) and miR-22-3p (p < .001) were significantly downregulated in the response group (29 patients) compared to the nonresponse group (83 patients). Multivariate analysis identified baseline serum exosomal miR-194-5p, miR-22-3p, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and HBV DNA as independent predictors of HBeAg seroconversion (all p < .05). The AUROCs of serum exosomal miRNAs (0.77 and 0.75 for miR-194-5p and miR-22-3p, respectively) were higher than that of ALT (0.70) and HBV DNA (0.69). The combination of exosomal miR-194-5p and miR-22-3p further improved the predictive performance with an AUROC of 0.82. Baseline serum exosomal miR-194-5p and miR-22-3p may serve as novel biomarkers to predict HBeAg seroconversion in CHB patients treated with Peg-IFN.

Keywords: chronic hepatitis B; exosome; miR-194-5p; miR-22-3p; peginterferon.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Exosomes / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Hepatitis B e Antigens / immunology*
  • Hepatitis B virus / immunology
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / immunology
  • Humans
  • Interferon Type I / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / blood
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Seroconversion / drug effects*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Biomarkers
  • Hepatitis B e Antigens
  • Interferon Type I
  • MicroRNAs
  • Polyethylene Glycols