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Background and Aims: MicroRNAs are small endogenous RNA molecules with specific expression patterns that can serve as biomarkers for numerous diseases. However, little is known about the expression profile of serum miRNAs in PBC. Methods: First, we employed Illumina deep sequencing for the initial screening to indicate the read numbers of miRNA expression in 10 PBC, 5 CH-C, 5 CH-B patients and 5 healthy controls. Comparing the differentially expressed miRNAs in the 4 groups, analysis of variance was performed on the number of sequence reads to evaluate the statistical significance. Hierarchical clustering was performed using an R platform and we have found candidates for specific miRNAs in the PBC patients. Second, a quantitative reverse transcription PCR validation study was conducted in 10 samples in each group. The expression levels of the selected miRNAs were presented as fold-changes (2−ΔΔCt). Finally, computer analysis was conducted to predict target genes and biological functions with MiRror 2.0 and DAVID v6.7. Results: We obtained about 12 million 32-mer short RNA reads on average per sample and the mapping rates to miRBase were 16.60% and 81.66% to hg19. In the statistical significance testing, the expression levels of 81 miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in the 4 groups. The heat map and hierarchical clustering demonstrated that the miRNA profiles from PBC clustered with those of CH-B, CH-C and healthy controls. Additionally, the circulating levels of hsa-miR-505-3p, 197-3p, and 500a-3p were significantly decreased in PBC compared with healthy controls and the expression levels of hsa-miR-505-3p, 139-5p and 197-3p were significantly reduced compared with the viral hepatitis group. Conclusions: Our results indicate that sera from patients with PBC have a unique miRNA expression profile and that the down-regulated expression of hsa-miR-505-3p and miR-197-3p can serve as clinical biomarkers of PBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In patients with advanced cirrhosis, not only hepatocellular carcinoma but also bacterial infections, such as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) or pneumonia, are frequent clinical complications in such immune-compromised patients. These pathologies often progress to renal dysfunction, especially hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). The central pathology of HRS is splanchnic arterial vasodilation and hyperpermeability followed by bacterial translocation (BT). BT induces a severe inflammatory response in the peritoneal lymphoid tissue, with the activation of the immune systems and the long-lasting production of vasoactive mediators that can impair the circulatory function and cause renal failure. Recent studies report that the plasma amino acid imbalance appeared to be related to an abnormality of the immune system in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. This paper can provide a new approach for future studies of the pathology in cirrhotic patients with renal dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The innate immune cells can not normally respond to the pathogen in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Previous studies reported that antigen-presenting cells take up L-Cystine (L-Cys) and secrete substantial amounts of L-Glutamate (L-Glu) via the transport system Xc- (4F2hc+xCT), and that this exchange influences the immune responses. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of the plasma L-Cys/L-Glu imbalance observed in patients with advanced cirrhosis on the function of circulating monocytes. Methods: We used a serum-free culture medium consistent with the average concentrations of plasma amino acids from patients with advanced cirrhosis (ACM), and examined the function of CD14+ monocytes or THP-1 under ACM that contained 0-300 nmol/mL L-Cys with LPS. In patients with advanced cirrhosis, we actually determined the TNF-alpha and xCT mRNA of monocytes, and evaluated the correlation between the plasma L-Cys/L-Glu ratio and TNF-alpha. Results: The addition of L-Cys significantly increased the production of TNF alpha from monocytes under ACM. Monocytes with LPS and THP-1 expressed xCT and a high level of extracellular L-Cys enhanced L-Cys/L-Glu antiport, and the intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio was decreased. The L-Cys transport was inhibited by excess L-Glu. In patients with advanced cirrhosis (n = 19), the TNF-alpha and xCT mRNA of monocytes were increased according to the Child-Pugh grade. The TNF-alpha mRNA of monocytes was significantly higher in the high L-Cys/L-Glu ratio group than in the low ratio group, and the plasma TNF-alpha was significantly correlated with the L-Cys/L-Glu ratio. Conclusions: A plasma L-Cys/L-Glu imbalance, which appears in patients with advanced cirrhosis, increased the TNF-alpha from circulating monocytes via increasing the intracellular oxidative stress. These results may reflect the immune abnormality that appears in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]