The Implications of Noncoding RNAs in the Evolution and Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)-Related HCC

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2022-10, Vol.23 (20), p.12370
• Main Authors: Rusu, Ioana, Pirlog, Radu, Chiroi, Paul, Nutu, Andreea, Puia, Vlad Radu, Fetti, Alin Cornel, Rusu, Daniel Radu, Berindan-Neagoe, Ioana, Al Hajjar, Nadim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomarkers; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - genetics; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Clinical practice guidelines; Disease Progression; DNA methylation; Fatty liver; Gene expression; Genomes; Hepatitis B; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Humans; Insulin resistance; Liver cancer; Liver cirrhosis; Liver diseases; Liver Neoplasms - genetics; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; lncRNA; Malignancy; Medical prognosis; Medical research; Metabolic disorders; Metabolism; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; miRNA; Mortality; NAFLD; ncRNAs; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - complications; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - diagnosis; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - genetics; Non-coding RNA; Proteins; Review; Risk factors; RNA, Long Noncoding - genetics; RNA, Long Noncoding - metabolism; RNA, Untranslated - genetics; RNA, Untranslated - metabolism; Surveillance; Therapeutic targets; Viral infections
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012370

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver pathology worldwide. Meanwhile, liver cancer represents the sixth most common malignancy, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as the primary, most prevalent subtype. Due to the rising incidence of metabolic disorders, NAFLD has become one of the main contributing factors to HCC development. However, although NAFLD might account for about a fourth of HCC cases, there is currently a significant gap in HCC surveillance protocols regarding noncirrhotic NAFLD patients, so the majority of NAFLD-related HCC cases were diagnosed in late stages when survival chances are minimal. However, in the past decade, the focus in cancer genomics has shifted towards the noncoding part of the genome, especially on the microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which have proved to be involved in the regulation of several malignant processes. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding some of the main dysregulated, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their implications for NAFLD and HCC development. A central focus of the review is on miRNA and lncRNAs that can influence the progression of NAFLD towards HCC and how they can be used as potential screening tools and future therapeutic targets.