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Rusu I, Pirlog R, Chiroi P, Nutu A, Puia VR, Fetti AC, Rusu DR, Berindan-Neagoe I, Al Hajjar N. The Implications of Noncoding RNAs in the Evolution and Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)-Related HCC. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12370. [PMID: 36293225 PMCID: PMC9603983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Rusu
- Department of Pathology, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- 3rd Department of General Surgery, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400186 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Radu Pirlog
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Paul Chiroi
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andreea Nutu
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Vlad Radu Puia
- 3rd Department of General Surgery, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400186 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Alin Cornel Fetti
- 3rd Department of General Surgery, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400186 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Daniel Radu Rusu
- Department of Pathology, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Berindan-Neagoe
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Nadim Al Hajjar
- 3rd Department of General Surgery, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400186 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 400162 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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