Circulating miRNAs Bear a Signature of Acute Hepatitis C Viremia

miRNAs were purified from frozen plasma from injection drug users in the Baltimore Before and After the Start of Hepatitis (BBAASH) Study before, during and after acute hepatitis C infection. Acute HCV outcome of 'Clear' indicates spontaneous resolution of infection. 'Time 3' in these individuals indicates the last known viremic specimen from these individuals before resolution and 'Time 4' indicates a plasma sample greater than one month after resolution of infection. Acute HCV outcome of 'Persist' indicates progression to chronic infection and 'Time 3' and 'Time 4' samples from these individuals are plasma samples time-matched to those of the clearers with the same name. qPCR miRNA expression profiling. 22 individuals HCV negative at enrollment were profiled for miRNA abundance in plasma, before, during, and after HCV infection.

本研究从巴尔的摩肝炎前后（BBAASH）研究纳入的注射吸毒人群冻存血浆中提取微核糖核酸（miRNAs），样本采集时点覆盖急性丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染前、感染期间及感染后三个阶段。急性HCV感染结局为"Clear"（清除）时，提示感染发生自发清除；此类受试者的"Time 3"指感染清除前最后一次可检测到病毒血症的标本，"Time 4"指感染清除后超过1个月采集的血浆样本。急性HCV感染结局为"Persist"（持续）时，提示感染进展为慢性感染；此类受试者的"Time 3"与"Time 4"血浆样本，与实现感染清除的同名受试者样本实现了时间匹配。采用定量聚合酶链式反应（qPCR）开展miRNA表达谱分析；本研究同时对入组时HCV检测为阴性的22名受试者，在HCV感染前、感染期间及感染后阶段的血浆miRNA丰度进行了检测分析。