Open AccessThe functional role of micro RNA s in alcoholic liver injury
Author(s) -
McDaniel Kelly,
Herrera Leonardo,
Zhou Tianhao,
Francis Heather,
Han Yuyan,
Levine Phillip,
Lin Emily,
Glaser Shan,
Alpini Gianfranco,
Meng Fanyin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/jcmm.12223
Subject(s) - alcoholic liver disease , lipopolysaccharide , alcoholic hepatitis , microrna , liver injury , steatohepatitis , kupffer cell , inflammation , tumor necrosis factor alpha , hepatic stellate cell , immunology , biology , secretion , liver disease , cancer research , fibrosis , medicine , fatty liver , cirrhosis , disease , endocrinology , biochemistry , gene
The function of micro RNA s (mi RNA s) during alcoholic liver disease ( ALD ) has recently become of great interest in biological research. Studies have shown that ALD associated mi RNA s play a crucial role in the regulation of liver‐inflammatory agents such as tumour necrosis factor‐alpha ( TNF ‐α), one of the key inflammatory agents responsible for liver fibrosis (liver scarring) and the critical contributor of alcoholic liver disease. Lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ), a component of the cell wall of gram‐negative bacteria, is responsible for TNF ‐α release by K upffer cells. mi RNA s are the critical mediators of LPS signalling in K upffer cells, hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells. Certain mi RNA s, in particular miR‐155 and miR‐21, show a positive correlation in up‐regulation of LPS signalling when they are exposed to ethanol. ALD is related to enhanced gut permeability that allows the levels of LPS to increase, leads to increased secretion of TNF ‐α by the K upffer cells and subsequently promotes alcoholic liver injury through specific mi RNA s. Meanwhile, two of the most frequently dysregulated mi RNA s in steatohepatitis, miR‐122 and miR‐34a are the critical mediators in ethanol/ LPS activated survival signalling during ALD . In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding the experimental and clinical aspects of functions of specific micro RNA s, focusing mainly on inflammation and cell survival after ethanol/ LPS treatment, and advances on the role of circulating mi RNA s in human alcoholic disorders.