Micro RNA 33 as a potential therapeutic target in chronic hepatitis c

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25670357
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Yokohama City University
• Principal Investigator: TOMENO Wataru 横浜市立大学, 附属病院, 指導診療医 (00644957)
• Research Collaborator: SAITO Satoru
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: C型慢性肝炎 / マイクロRNA33 / 消化器内科 / 基礎医学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Micro RNA 33b (miR-33b) contributes to the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis in cooperation with sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP).We transfected a miR-33b inhibitor into hepatitis c virus (HCV) replicon to examine whether the nucleic acid could inhibit HCV replication. We expected that the expression of miR-33b was upregulated in order to make the lipid-rich environment that HCV was easy to replicate. However, the significant difference was not detected in expression of miR-33b not only in HCV replicon cells but also in the liver biopsy specimens of the chronic hepatitis c patients. Because both the expression of HCV protein and the replication of HCV RNA have not changed significantly after transfection of the miR-33b inhibitor, we were not able to find the usefulness of the agent as the new anti-viral drug.

Free Research Field

ウイルス性肝炎