Serum levels of microRNAs can specifically predict liver injury of chronic hepatitis B

Figure 3 Aberrant levels of serum miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 correlate with the liver pathological parameters. A: Canonical correlation analysis. The correlation between microRNA (miRNA) variables and liver function parameter variables were calculated by canonical correlation analysis. All the data were log₁₀ transformed. Correlation coefficient r = 0.74 and P < 1.00 × 10^-4. miRNAs: miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744; Liver function parameters: Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBIL) and bile acid; B: Comparison of serum miRNAs, ALT and AST in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and nonalcohlic steatohepatitis (NASH). The comparison among the levels of ALT, AST, miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 in serum samples collected from patients with NASH and CHB (indicated on x-axis). The relative change of ALT, AST and miRNA expression levels were expressed ratio in log₂ compared with healthy control (Ctrl) (indicated on y-axis). The values of ALT, AST and miRNA fold change are the average of samples from CHB (n = 24), NASH (n = 20) and Ctrls (n = 24), and the SD is shown as an error bar; C, D: Scatter plot of principal components analysis. All the data were log₁₀ transformed to carry out analysis. Scatter plot of first two principal component of miRNAs variables including miR-122, -572, -575, -638 and -744 (C), and liver function parameters including ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, TBIL and bile acid (D) in CHB (n = 24), NASH (n = 20) and Ctrls (n = 24).