Micro RNAs in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liverdisease
摘要
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or nonalcoholic fattyliver disease （NAFLD） refers to a group of disordersthat arise from the accrual of fat in hepatocytes.Although various factors have been associated with thedevelopment of NAFLD, including genetic predispositionand environmental exposures, little is known aboutthe underlying pathogenesis of the disease. Researchefforts are ongoing to identify biological targets andsignaling pathways that mediate NAFLD. Emergingevidence has implicated a role for micro RNAs （miRNAs）,short single-stranded molecules that regulate geneexpression either transcriptionally, through targeting ofpromoter regions, or post-transcriptionally, by blockingtranslation or promoting cleavage of specific targetmRNAs. Several miRNAs have been associated withNAFLD, although our understanding of the biologyunderlying their role is still emerging. The goal of thisreview is to present an overview of the current state ofknowledge of miRNAs involved in the development ofNAFLD across a range of in vitro and in vivo models,including miRNAs that contribute to pathologicalmechanisms related to fatty liver in humans. Muchless is known about the specific targets of miRNAsin cells, nor the molecular mechanisms involved inthe development and progression NAFLD and relatedoutcomes. More recently, the identification andvalidation of miRNA signatures in serum may facilitatethe development of improved methods for diagnosisand clinical monitoring of disease progression.