Circulating Non-Coding RNAs as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is currently the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality. The clinical diagnosis of HCC mainly depends on imaging technology, such as ultrasound and computed tomography, and serum biomarkers, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). However, HCC is still hard to diagnose at an early stage due to the low sensitivity of the above mentioned traditional methods. Typically, HCC is diagnosed at an advanced stage when limited treatment options are available. It is urgent to identify effective biomarkers for the early diagnosis of HCC. Increasing evidence uncovered ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), could be used in HCC diagnosis. The aim of this review is to summarize our understanding of circulating miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs as fluid-based non-invasive biomarkers, and aiming at providing new insights into the diagnosis of HCC.

LncRNA and circRNA in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review

“…The lncRNA FTX was downregulated and the lncRNA SNHG20 was upregulated in NAFLD-related HCC tumor tissues, and FTX supplement and SNHG20 silencing inhibited the conversion of NAFLD to HCC, which prompted out interest in explorng its potential as a future HCC risk predictor [ 56 , 57 ]. In addition, most HCC-related lncRNAs are present in body fluids, which are easy to detect and analyze, giving them the potential to be attractive biomarkers in liquid biopsy of HCC [ 58 , 59 ]. Thus, an in-depth understanding of lncRNA functions and its roles in the pathogenesis of HCC will provide new insights and novel tools for the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC.…”

Long Non-Coding RNAs in Kidney Injury: A Comprehensive Review

“…The influence of lncRNAs extends to diabetic nephropathy (DN), where ENST0000436340 exacerbates podocyte damage by facilitating the interaction between PTBP1 and RAB3B. The role of lncRNAs in diabetic mesangial cell damage is gaining recognition, offering potential novel therapeutic targets for kidney diseases, including DN [67,68]. Additionally, the dysregulation of Hoxb3os, a lncRNA regulating mTOR signaling, is associated with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease [69].…”

MicroRNAs as Plasma Biomarkers of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis—A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The mRNA is usually down-regulated through translational suppression, mRNA deadenylation or mRNA decapping, the latter two influencing their stability [10]. In physiological and also pathological conditions (such as cell injury or cell death), miRNAs are released or secreted in extracellular vesicles such as exosomes [11]. Circulating miRNAs can originate from the tumor itself or be derived from other tissues where altered plasma levels in patients with HCC or cirrhosis could be either of hepatic or of extrahepatic origin [12].…”

“…Over recent years, a vast body of literature has explored the performance of various miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers of HCC. Most are exploratory, cross-sectional studies with varying control groups, such as healthy controls, non-cirrhotic hepatitis patients, or patients with cirrhosis [8,11,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. The results are divergent, and many of the proposed miRNAs are described only in one or a few scientific reports.…”