Title:Role of microRNAs in Hepatic Stellate Cells and Hepatic Fibrosis: An Update
Volume: 27
Issue: 27
Author(s): Sai Zhu , Xin Chen, Yu Chen, Xiao-Feng Li, Si-Yu Chen, Juan-Juan Li , Ao Wang, Cheng Huang*Jun Li *
Affiliation:
- Anhui Province Laboratory of Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Anhui,China
- Anhui Province Laboratory of Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Anhui,China
Keywords:
Non-coding RNA, microRNAs, hepatic fibrosis, hepatic stellate cells, biomarkers, therapy.
Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate the expression of targets
genes by binding to the 3′-untranslated regions. They play vital roles in diverse biological processes, including
the development of hepatic fibrosis (HF). HF is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix
(ECM) and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are considered a major cell type for producing ECM. Alteration of the
HSC phenotype plays a crucial role in the HF pathological process. MiRNAs involved in various biological process,
such as differentiation, apoptosis, migration, and their relevant signaling pathways, are expressed in
HSCs; however, emerging evidence indicates that numerous miRNAs are abnormally expressed in activated
HSCs. In this review, we summarize the categorization of miRNAs in HF and describe the relationships among
them. We also discuss miRNAs recently discovered to be related to HF, and attempt to find potential miRNAs
that may serve as novel biomarkers for use in HF treatment.
