Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), highly upregulated liver cancer (HULC), metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), lncRNA‐AF085935, and lncRNA‐uc003wbd have been implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in HULC and MALAT1 are associated with HCC susceptibility. However, association between these SNPs and lncRNA‐AF085935 and lncRNA‐uc003wbd expression and their potential clinical value in differentiating HCC from both hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐infected Egyptian patients and the healthy specimens have not been explored yet. In the present study, SNPs rs7763881 in HULC and rs619586 in MALAT1 were genotyped in 70 HBV‐positive HCC, 70 HBV patients, and 70 healthy controls in Egyptian population and the level of serum lncRNA‐AF085935 and lncRNA‐uc003wbd of all the subjects was assayed by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. HULC rs7763881 AC/CC genotype was significantly associated with decreased HCC risk. Similarly, AG/GG of MALAT1 rs619586 was associated with decreased HCC risk with a borderline significance. Serum lncRNA‐AF085935 and lncRNA‐uc003wbd levels were upregulated in HBV‐positive HCC and HBV patients vs controls and discriminated these groups by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Patients carrying AC/CC genotype of rs7763881 and AG/GG of rs619586 had lower serum lncRNA‐AF085935 and lncRNA‐uc003wbd levels compared with AA genotype. In conclusion, genetic variants of lncRNA HULC and lncRNA MALAT1 are associated with the decreased susceptibility to HCC in HBV‐persistent carriers and are correlated with serum lncRNA‐AF085935 and lncRNAuc003wbd levels, two potential noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers for HCC.

The technique of stem cells or hepatocytes transplantation has recently improved in order to bridge the time before whole-organ liver transplantation. In the present study, unfractionated bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) were harvested from the tibial and femoral marrow compartments of male mice, which were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) with and without hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and then transplanted into Schistosoma mansoni-infected female mice on their 8th week post-infection. Mice were sacrificed monthly until the third month of bone marrow transplantation, serum was collected, and albumin concentration, ALT, AST, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were assayed. On the other hand, immunohistopathological and immunohistochemical changes of granuloma size and number, collagen content, and cells expressing OV-6 were detected for identification of liver fibrosis. BMSCs were shown to differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells. Serum ALT, AST, and ALP were markedly reduced in the group of mice treated with BMSCs than in the untreated control group. Also, granuloma showed a marked decrease in size and number as compared to the BMSCs untreated group. Collagen content showed marked decrease after the third month of treatment with BMSCs. On the other hand, the expression of OV-6 increased detecting the presence of newly formed hepatocytes after BMSCs treatment. BMSCs with or without HGF infusion significantly enhanced hepatic regeneration in S. mansoni-induced fibrotic liver model and have pathologic and immunohistopathologic therapeutic effects. Also, this new therapeutic trend could generate new hepatocytes to improve the overall liver functions.

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