Abstract
MicroRNAs are important post-transcriptional regulators in different pathophysiological processes. They typically affect the mRNA stability or translation finally leading to the repression of target gene expression. Notably, it is thought that microRNAs are crucial for regulating gene expression during metabolic-related disorders, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Several studies identify specific microRNA expression profiles associated to different histological features of NAFLD, both in animal models and in patients. Therefore, specific assortments of certain microRNAs could have enormous diagnostic potentiality. In addition, microRNAs have also emerged as possible therapeutic targets for the treatment of NAFLD-related liver damage. In this review, we discuss the experimental evidence about microRNAs both as potential non-invasive early diagnostic markers and as novel therapeutic targets in NAFLD and its more severe liver complications.
Highlights
MicroRNAs are endogenous, small non-coding RNAs which possess a central role in the regulation of both mRNA and protein expression of the target genes
This review describes biogenesis, function, activity and regulation of miRNAs with particular concern for their involvement during nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development and its progression to hepatic fibrosis
The bibliographical literature, both in mouse and in human studies, indicates that the best known microRNA involved in lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis consists in miR-33a/b, an intronic miRNAs located within the sterol SREBP-2 and SREBP-1 genes respectively and co-transcribed with their host genes that are preferentially involved in cholesterol and fatty acid (FA) metabolism
Summary
MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are endogenous, small non-coding RNAs which possess a central role in the regulation of both mRNA and protein expression of the target genes. They were firstly described in Caenorhabditis elegans as regulators of developmental timing [1,2]. The miRNAs exert their specific regulatory functions affecting the stability or translation of targeted mRNA. They have been described to partake in numerous cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, cellular growth, tissue remodeling, being implicated in several human pathologies [4]. This review describes biogenesis, function, activity and regulation of miRNAs with particular concern for their involvement during NAFLD development and its progression to hepatic fibrosis
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