Imunoterapia: acesso aberto
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Are MicroRNAs Reliable Prognostic Biomarkers in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development?

Ileana Constantinescu, Costin Petcu and Maria Mirela Iacob

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a complex multi-step process which involves genetic and epigenetic alterations. This disease is often not detected until late in development. It is necessary to discover and validate new sensitive, non-invasive, diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers able to highlight changes in disease status and liver function. Deregulation of microRNAs activity plays an important role in pathogenesis of chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infections, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and in the progression to HCC. The assessment of serum microRNAs profiles may provide insights related to the chronic viral hepatitis molecular mechanism which could lead to HCC. MicroRNAs are involved in controlling the metabolic pathways of infected cells and also the immune-metabolic response to viral infection in the liver. Also, microRNAs are crucial regulators of metabolic-related disorders, such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. At the moment, in chronic viral hepatitis B, C and NAFLD the reliable diagnosis is liver biopsy with its disadvantages. Therefore, microRNAs detection may improve early identification of individuals with high risk for HCC development. Identification of microRNAs aberrant expression and their oncogenic or tumor suppressor molecular targets, it is new useful for potential biomarkers characterization and for clinical development of new therapies for HCC.