HBV-miR-3 is closely related to HBV replication and strongly predictive of HBeAg seroconversion in PegIFN-α treated patients

Background: HBV-miR-3 is encoded by HBV and takes part in pathogenesis of HBV-related liver disease. Whether HBV-miR-3 has relationship with HBV replication and is predictive of PegIFN-α treatment response is still unknown. Methods: : HBV-miR-3 quantification is based on qRT-PCR. The relationship of HBV-miR-3 and HBV replication, and predictive value of HBV-miR-3 are evaluated in a cohort of 650 HBeAg positive patients from a multi-center, randomized phase III clinical trial for the study of PegIFN-a2b. Results: : HBV-miR-3 is significantly positive related to HBVDNA, HBVpgRNA, HBeAg and HBsAg at baseline and all the different time points during PegIFN-α treatment. Both univariate regression analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed HBV-miR-3 is a predictor of HBeAg seroconversion in the patients treated with PegIFN-α at weeks of 0, 12, and 24. 70.0% of patients with HBV-miR-3＜3log at week 12 achieved HBeAg seroconversion, otherwise HBV-miR-3＞6log at week 12, no patient obtained. HBeAg seroconversion. Conbination of HBV-miR-3 and HBeAg is more strongly predictive of HBeAg seroconversion (83.64%) and obtained better AUC (0.784) at week 12 Conclusions: : HBV-miR-3 is an indicator of HBV replication and positively related to HBV replication. HBV-miR-3 is a potential, novel and early predictor of HBeAg seroconversion in the patients treated with PegIFN-α.