title: The role of microRNAs in hepatocarcinogenesis: current knowledge and future prospects.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally through complementary base pairing with thousands of messenger RNAs. Although the precise biological functions of individual miRNAs are still unknown, miRNAs are speculated to play important roles in diverse biological processes through fine regulation of their target gene expression. A growing body of data indicates the deregulation of miRNAs during hepatocarcinogenesis. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding deregulated miRNA expression and their possible target genes in hepatocarcinogenesis, with emphasis on inflammation-related hepatocarcinogenesis. Because miRNA-based strategies are being applied to clinical therapeutics, precise knowledge of miRNA functions is crucial both scientifically and clinically. We discuss the current open questions from these points of view, which must be clarified in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 5-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan, otsukamo-tky@umin.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Motoyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishikawa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Akemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koike
mesh_terms: D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs