Open AccessThe ins and outs of micro RNA s as biomarkers in liver disease and transplantation
Author(s) -
Farid Waqar R. R.,
Verhoeven Cornelia J.,
Jonge Jeroen,
Metselaar Herold J.,
Kazemier Geert,
Laan Luc J. W.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
transplant international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.998
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1432-2277
pISSN - 0934-0874
DOI - 10.1111/tri.12379
Subject(s) - medicine , microrna , liver transplantation , biomarker , transplantation , hepatocellular carcinoma , context (archaeology) , liver disease , liver injury , disease , bioinformatics , pathology , oncology , cancer research , gene , biology , paleontology , biochemistry
Summary Ongoing research is being conducted in the field of transplantation to discover novel, noninvasive biomarkers for assessment of graft quality before transplantation and monitoring of graft injury after transplantation. MicroRNAs (mi RNA s) are among the most promising in this field. MiRNAs are small noncoding RNA s that function as important regulators of gene expression in response to cellular stress and disease. An advantage that makes mi RNA s attractive candidates for biomarker research is their fast release from cells in response to stress and injury, which can occur via different routes. In the context of liver transplantation ( LT ), noninvasive measurement and stability of extracellular miRNAs in blood, bile, and graft perfusates has been linked to cell‐type specific injury and early graft outcome following LT . Furthermore, specific intrahepatic mi RNA expression patterns have been associated with graft survival and recurrent disease, like hepatitis C virus‐related fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, mi RNA s with strong predictive value and high sensitivity and specificity might be successfully applied to assess hepatic injury and to diagnose (recurrent) liver disease before, during and after LT . In this review, the current features and future prospects of mi RNA s as biomarkers in and out of the liver are discussed.