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The Significance of HCV Viral Load in the Incidence of HCC: a Correlation Between Mir-122 and CCL2

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Abstract

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer, the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide with over 500,000 people affected. It is a major cause of death in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Overwhelming lines of epidemiological evidence have indicated that persistent infection with HCV is a major risk for the development of HCC. Although a proportion of patients with a chronic hepatitis C virus infection progress to HCC, the peak incidence of HCC associated with HCV infection has not yet occurred.

Aim

This review aimed to assess the impact of hepatitis C viral load on the development of HCC as a correlation between mir-122 and, the key factor in fibrogenesis, CCL2.

Conclusion

According to the detailed explanation of the role of mir-122 and CCL2 in HCV and HCC and the evidence of the inverse correlation between them, it may be concluded that HCV may affect mir-122 expression level of the hepatocytes with different patterns depending on the viral genotype. Collectively, HCV viral load alone is not sufficient to predict the HCC development and progression. Besides the quantitative evaluation of the HCV, mir-122 and CCL2 determinations should also be taken into consideration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Biochemistry Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth st. (Former El Tahrir St.), Dokki, P.O. 12622, Giza, Egypt

    Heba K. Nabih

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Heba K. Nabih designed, drafted, and revised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Heba K. Nabih.

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Nabih, H.K. The Significance of HCV Viral Load in the Incidence of HCC: a Correlation Between Mir-122 and CCL2. J Gastrointest Canc 51, 412–417 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-019-00281-2

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