MicroRNAs in Liver Disease: Bench to Bedside

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression by pairing with partially complementary target sequences in the 3'UTRs of mRNAs to promote degradation and/or block translation. Aberrant miR expression is associated with development of multiple diseases including hepatic diseases. The role of miRs in the regulation of gene expression and rapid progress in the field of microRNA research are resulting in momentum toward development of diagnostic markers and novel therapeutic strategies for human liver diseases. Recent studies provide clear evidence that miRs are abundant in the liver and modulate a diverse spectrum of biological functions, thereby supporting an association between alterations of miR homeostasis and pathological liver diseases. Here we review the role of miRs in liver as their physiological and pathological importance has been demonstrated in metabolism, immunity, viral hepatitis, oncogenesis, fatty liver diseases (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), drug-induced liver injury, fibrosis as well as acute liver failure.

Keywords: ALD, alcoholic liver disease; ALF, acute liver failure; DILI, drug-induced liver injury; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HSC, hepatic stellate cell; IFN, interferon; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; PPAR γ, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ; TGF, transforming growth factor; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; UTR, untranslated region; down-regulation; liver; miR-122; miRs/miRNA, microRNA; microRNA; up-regulation.