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Review
. 2020 Jan 31:7:7.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00007. eCollection 2020.

Critical Role of microRNA-21 in the Pathogenesis of Liver Diseases

Ting Zhang  1   2 , Zhihong Yang  1   2 , Praveen Kusumanchi  1   2 , Sen Han  1   2 , Suthat Liangpunsakul  1   2   3   4
Affiliations
Review

Critical Role of microRNA-21 in the Pathogenesis of Liver Diseases

Ting Zhang et al. Front Med (Lausanne). .

Abstract

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that range in length from 18 to 24 nucleotides. As one of the most extensively studied microRNAs, microRNA-21 (miR-21) is highly expressed in many mammalian cell types. It regulates multiple biological functions such as proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. In this review, we summarized the mechanism of miR-21 in the pathogenesis of various liver diseases. While it is clear that miR-21 plays an important role in different types of liver diseases, its use as a diagnostic marker for specific liver disease or its therapeutic implication are not ready for prime time due to significant variability and heterogeneity in the expression of miR-21 in different types of liver diseases depending on the studies. Additional studies to further define miR-21 functions and its mechanism in association with each type of chronic liver diseases are needed before we can translate the bedside observations into clinical settings.

Keywords: alcohol liver disease (ALD); hepatocellular carcinoma; miRNA-21; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; viral hepatitis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) miR-21 is highly conserved across the species, (B) the functions of miR-21 on intracellular biological processes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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