title: Circulating RNA molecules as biomarkers in liver disease.
abstract: Liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. As in other fields of medicine, there is a stringent need for non-invasive markers to improve patient diagnostics, monitoring and prognostic ability in liver pathology. Cell-free circulating RNA molecules have been recently acknowledged as an important source of potential medical biomarkers. However, many aspects related to the biology of these molecules remain to be elucidated. In this review, we summarize current concepts related to the origin, transportation and possible functions of cell-free RNA. We outline current development of extracellular RNA-based biomarkers in the main forms of non-inherited liver disease: chronic viral hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, non-alcoholic fatty liver, hepato-toxicity, and liver transplantation. Despite recent technological advances, the lack of standardization in the assessment of these markers makes their adoption into clinical practice difficult. We thus finally review the main factors influencing quantification of circulating RNA. These factors should be considered in the reporting and interpretation of current findings, as well as in the proper planning of future studies, to improve reliability and reproducibility of results.
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69008, France. enachesliviu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Liviu S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Enache
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Tirgu Mures, 38 Gh. Marinescu st., Tirgu Mures 540142, Romania. dincaluminita@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Elena L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Enache
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69008, France. christophe.ramiere@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramière
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69008, France. olivier.diaz@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Tirgu Mures, 38 Gh. Marinescu st., Tirgu Mures 540142, Romania. ligiabancu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ligia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bancu
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy Tirgu Mures, 38 Gh. Marinescu st., Tirgu Mures 540142, Romania. anka_sinn@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Anca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.affiliation: Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Lyon F-69008, France. patrice.andre@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: André
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012313:RNA / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012313:RNA