ABSTRACT
Objective@#To detect differentially expressed microRNAs in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) before being treated with pegylated interferon (PegIFN) and the relationship between their target genes and HBsAg loss.@*Methods@#Pretreatment differentially expressed microRNAs between different response groups were screened using high throughput microarrays and validated by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Bioinformatics analysis was performed to determine their target genes potential mechanistic roles.@*Results@#A total of 417 microRNA were differentially expressed between different response groups, among which 342 were up-regulated and 75 were down-regulated. miR-3960, miR-126-3p, miR-23 a-3p and miR-335-5p were verified to be down-regulated by RT-qPCR result in HBsAg loss group. Bioinformatic analysis result show that the relevant pathways of microRNAs include AMPK signal pathway, NOD-like signal pathway, NF-kappa B signal pathway and mTOR signal pathway.@*Conclusions@#HBsAg loss is probably achieved as the result of genes expression regulated in association with immune response, further enhance the immune response of HBV elimination and acquire HBsAg loss.