title: Roadmap of miR-122-related clinical application from bench to bedside.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  microRNA (miRNA) regulates target gene expression to influence many physiological and pathophysiological processes. The liver-specific miRNA, miR-122, contributes to liver function and plays a very important role in hepatic diseases including the viral hepatitis C (HCV). For this reason, developing an miR-122-related clinical application could be very useful in managing or treating many hepatic disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review introduces the basic concepts of miRNA and miR-122. It also discusses the possibility of miR-122 as a biomarker and summarizes the results of anti-miR-122 treatment from basic research to a Phase IIa clinical trial. Furthermore, the authors discuss the potential opportunities and challenges found in clinical trials with miravirsen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  miR-122 may be a useful biomarker as both a diagnostic and prognostic tool. Furthermore, miravirsen is a novel treatment with great potential for hepatic disease treatment, especially in HCV. However, there is certainly the need for future investigations to better determine whether miR-122 is really specific for liver. It is also important to elucidate whether miR-122 is actually specific for HCV genome and further investigate the therapeutic potential of miravirsen. Only once these studies have been completed can anti-miR-122 treatment potentially enter the clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu , China +86 25 8330 4616 ; +86 25 8330 4616 ; zhihuaqiu421@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009841:Oligonucleotides; C581159:miravirsen