IrsiCaixa, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08916 Badalona, Spain.
Viruses. 2022 May 24;14(6):1118. doi: 10.3390/v14061118.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding specific cell mRNA targets, preventing their translation. miRNAs are implicated in the regulation of important physiological and pathological pathways. Liver disease, including injury, fibrosis, metabolism dysregulation, and tumor development disrupts liver-associated miRNAs. In addition to their effect in the originating tissue, miRNAs can also circulate in body fluids. miRNA release is an important form of intercellular communication that plays a role in the physiological and pathological processes underlying multiple diseases. Circulating plasma levels of miRNAs have been identified as potential disease biomarkers. One of the main challenges clinics face is the lack of available noninvasive biomarkers for diagnosing and predicting the different stages of liver disease (e.g., nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis), particularly among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Liver disease is a leading cause of death unrelated to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Here, we review and discuss the utility of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and assessment of liver disease in PLWH. Remarkably, the identification of dysregulated miRNA expression may also identify targets for new therapeutics.
微小 RNA（miRNAs）是一类小的非编码 RNA，通过与特定的细胞 mRNA 靶标结合，阻止其翻译，从而在后转录水平上调节基因表达。miRNAs 参与调节重要的生理和病理途径。肝脏疾病，包括损伤、纤维化、代谢失调和肿瘤发展，会破坏与肝脏相关的 miRNAs。除了在起源组织中的作用外，miRNAs 还可以在体液中循环。miRNA 的释放是细胞间通讯的一种重要形式，在多种疾病的生理和病理过程中发挥作用。循环血浆中 miRNAs 的水平被确定为潜在的疾病生物标志物。临床面临的主要挑战之一是缺乏可用于诊断和预测肝脏疾病（如非酒精性脂肪性肝病和非酒精性脂肪性肝炎）不同阶段的非侵入性生物标志物，特别是在感染人类免疫缺陷病毒 1 型（HIV-1）的个体中。肝脏疾病是导致 HIV-1 感染者（PLWH）与获得性免疫缺陷综合征（AIDS）无关的死亡的主要原因之一。在这里，我们回顾和讨论了循环 miRNAs 作为 PLWH 早期诊断、预后和肝脏疾病评估的生物标志物的应用。值得注意的是，失调 miRNA 表达的识别也可能确定新治疗靶点。
