• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2016

In human medicine, circulating microRNAs have been successfully utilized as early biomarkers for various abnormalities and disease states. Vertebrate miR-122 is a liver-specific microRNA which is expressed almost solely in hepatocytes and plays an important role in the regulation of hepatocyte function. In this study, to evaluate the potential utility of circulating miR-122 as a biomarker for liver injury in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), fish were orally intubated with two doses of acetaminophen (500 mg/kg or 1.000 mg/kg of body weight), and the expression of miR-122 in serum was quantified using real time-PCR. Histological change in liver, and the enzymatic activity of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were also analyzed. The results showed that miR-122 was higher in acetaminophen administered groups compared to control group. The histopathological effect of acetaminophen on olive flounder liver was not distinct. The serum level of GPT and GOT was increased within 2 folds compared to control group by acetaminophen administration. However, the serum miR-122 level was increased more than 3 or 4 folds compared to the control group by administration of 1000 mg/kg of acetaminophen. These results suggest the possible use of miR-122 as an indicator of liver injury in olive flounder, even when histopathological effects are not distinctive.