Role of Serum Vitamin D, Interleukin 13, and microRNA-135a in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Treatment Failure in Egyptian HCV-Infected Patients Receiving Direct Antiviral Agents
Mohamed E. Ali,
Hamada M. Halby,
Mamdouh Yones Ali,
Elham Ahmed Hassan,
Mohamed A. El-Mokhtar,
Ibrahim M. Sayed,
Marwa M. Thabet,
Magdy Fouad,
Ahmed M. El-Ashmawy,
Zainab Gaber Mahran
Affiliations
Mohamed E. Ali
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
Hamada M. Halby
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
Mamdouh Yones Ali
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Assiut 71524, Egypt
Elham Ahmed Hassan
Department of Gastroenterology and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
Mohamed A. El-Mokhtar
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
Ibrahim M. Sayed
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
Marwa M. Thabet
Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
Magdy Fouad
Hepato-Gastroenterology Unit, Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, El-Minia University, Minya 61519, Egypt
Ahmed M. El-Ashmawy
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
Zainab Gaber Mahran
Department of Gastroenterology and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are used for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. However, treatment failure and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development following treatment was reported. In this study, we assessed the role of serum vitamin D, interleukin 13 (IL-13), and microRNA-135a in the prediction of treatment failure with DAA and HCC development among Egyptian HCV-infected patients. A total of 950 patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease underwent DAA treatment. Before DAAs, serum vitamin D and IL-13 were determined by ELISA, and gene expression of miRNA-135a was assessed in serum by real-time PCR. The predictive abilities of these markers were determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Sustained virological response (SVR) was achieved in 92.6% of HCV-infected patients (responders). High viral load, IL-13, miRNA-135a, and low vitamin D levels were associated with treatment failure and HCC development. HCC development was recorded in non-responders, but not in the responders (35.7% vs. 0% p < 0.001). In conclusion: serum IL-13, Vitamin D, and miRNA-135a could be potential biomarkers in monitoring DAA treatment and HCC prediction. DAAs-induced SVR may decrease the incidence of HCC.
