Role of microRNA in chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma / 第二军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and the subsequent persistent inflammation are the important factors that facilitate the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Both HBV infection and persistent inflammation can affect carcinogenesis via regulating microRNA expression. Aberrant expression of microRNAs plays an important role in regulating the malignant transformation of chronic inflammation. Some microRNAs can aggravate inflammation via increasing HBV replication or expression of inflammatory factors, some can promote fibrosis process via activating hepatic stellate cells or producing collagen proteins, and some can promote cancer progression by affecting the balance between cancer promoting factors and tumor suppressor factors. Proinflammatory molecules can promote Evo-Dev of HBV-induced hepatocellular carcinoma through epigenetic regulation including regulating the expression of microRNAs. Here in this review we discussed the potential mechanisms by which persistent inflammation induces aberrant expression of microRNAs and the role of dysregulated microRNAs in the development of chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.