Unit:
Faculty of MedicineLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Karakousis Nikolaos
Dissertation committee:
Γεώργιος Παπαθεοδωρίδης, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Σπήλιος Μανωλακόπουλος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ιωάννης Βλαχογιαννάκος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ευάγγελος Χολόγκιτας, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Αιμιλία Χατζηγιάννη, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Αντώνιος Χατζηγεωργίου, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Μαρία - Μέλανη Ντόιτς, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Η σημασία της γήρανσης των ηπατοκυττάρων στη φυσική ιστορία της χρόνιας λοίμωξης με ιό Ηπατίτιδας Β
Translated title:
Τhe significance of hepatocellular senescence in the natural history of chronic hepatitis b virus infection
Summary:
Background: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) virus infection is a serious medical issue, worldwide. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and global DNA methylation, which is expressed as circulating levels of 5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine, applying the liquid biopsy approach, seem to be linked to epigenetic changes and senescence. This study aims to investigate the levels of circulating cfDNA and 5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine in HBeAg-negative carriers and CHB infected patients’ serums, without and after treatment administration.
Methods: Serum samples from a total of 61 patients, including carriers and CHB patients without and after treatment, were studied in order to quantify the levels of circulating cf-DNA and 5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine.
Results: Circulating cfDNA concentration was significantly increased following the administration of oral antiviral treatment in CHB patients compared to pre-treatment levels (15 vs 10 ng/mL, respectively, p=0.022). A trend was demonstrated towards higher mean levels of circulating 5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine in carriers as compared to CHB patients without treatment (211 vs 176 ng/mL, respectively, p=0.089) and additionally, a tendency for increased 5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine levels in patients after in comparison to before treatment for CHB (215 vs 173 ng/mL, respectively, p=0.079).
Conclusions: Both circulating cf-DNA and circulating levels of 5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine might be used as markers in order to monitor disease activity in hepatocytes based on epigenetics and response to treatment of chronic HBeAg-negative patients, but further studies are needed towards that direction.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Hepatitis b, Infection, Senescence, Methylation, Cell free DNA
Number of references:
125
