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MicroRNAs in alcoholic liver disease: Recent advances and future applications
Author(s) -
Xu Tao,
Li Li,
Hu HuaQing,
Meng XiaoMing,
Huang Cheng,
Zhang Lei,
Qin Jian,
Li Jun
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of cellular physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.529
H-Index - 174
eISSN - 1097-4652
pISSN - 0021-9541
DOI - 10.1002/jcp.26938
Subject(s) - microrna , alcoholic liver disease , alcoholic hepatitis , mir 122 , pathogenesis , liver disease , biology , inflammation , disease , cancer research , hepatocyte , microvesicles , bioinformatics , medicine , immunology , cirrhosis , gene , pathology , genetics , biochemistry , in vitro
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by hepatocyte damage, inflammatory cell activation, and increased intestinal permeability leading to the clinical manifestations of alcoholic hepatitis. Selected members of the family of microRNAs (miRNAs) are affected by alcohol, resulting in an abnormal miRNA profile in the liver and circulation in ALD. Increasing evidence suggests that miRNAs that regulate inflammation, lipid metabolism and promote cancer are affected by excessive alcohol administration in mouse models of ALD. This communication highlights recent findings in miRNA expression and functions as they relate to the pathogenesis of ALD. The cell‐specific distribution of miRNAs, as well as the significance of circulating extracellular miRNAs, is discussed as potential biomarkers. Finally, the prospects of miRNA‐based therapies are evaluated in ALD.