en Medical Biology Medical Biology مقاله پژوهشی Original Research Article <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:black">Background and Objective: </span></span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#222222">Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains a major global health concern and is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The tumor suppressor gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) plays a crucial role in regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway, a key signaling cascade involved in cell survival and proliferation. This study aimed to investigate the expression of PTEN mRNA in the whole blood of patients with chronic HCV infection compared to healthy individuals.</span></span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:black"></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:black">Materials and Methods: </span></span></span></span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#222222">In this case-control study, blood samples were collected from 50 patients with chronic HCV infection and 50 healthy controls. Total RNA was extracted from whole blood</span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#222222">and converted to cDNA. PTEN expression was quantified using SYBR Green-based Real-time PCR, with GAPDH as the internal control. Data were analyzed using the 2^-&Delta;&Delta;Ct method and appropriate statistical tests.</span></span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:black"></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:black">Results:</span></span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#222222">PTEN expression was significantly downregulated in the patient group compared to controls (fold change </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#333333">=</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="background:white"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:#222222"> 0.085; p < 0.0001), indicating an approximately 8.5-fold reduction. Age-stratified analysis revealed the lowest PTEN expression in patients over 50 years of age. These findings suggest systemic molecular alterations in HCV-infected individuals and a potential age-related pattern of PTEN suppression.</span></span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:black"></span></span></span></span></b></span></span></span></span></span><br> <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-justify:kashida"><span style="text-kashida:0%"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif"><span style="color:black">Conclusion:</span></span></span></span></b> <span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:150%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">T<span style="color:black">he marked reduction of PTEN mRNA expression in chronic HCV patients highlights its potential role in HCV pathogenesis and progression to HCC. PTEN may serve as a promising biomarker and therapeutic target in chronic HCV infection.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br> &nbsp; Hepatitis C virus, PTEN, Gene expression, Tumor suppressor, Real-time PCR, Hepatocellular carcinoma 18 18 http://journal.zums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-5817-2&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Somayeh Shokri somayehshokri1986@gmail.com 5200319475328460088993 5200319475328460088993 No Farid Azizi Jalilian azizifarid@gmail.com 5200319475328460088994 5200319475328460088994 No Razieh Amini aminra14@gmail.com 5200319475328460088995 5200319475328460088995 No Ali Shojaeian ali.shojaeian65@gmail.com 5200319475328460088996 5200319475328460088996 No Fatemeh Torkaman Asadi dr.torkamanasadi@yahoo.com 5200319475328460088997 5200319475328460088997 No Shahab Mahmoudvand mahmoudvandsh100@gmail.com 5200319475328460088998 5200319475328460088998 Yes