articleJournal of Clinical InvestigationJul 23, 2012BRONZE OA

MicroRNA-122 plays a critical role in liver homeostasis and hepatocarcinogenesis

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · +7 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

MicroRNA-122 (miR-122), which accounts for 70% of the liver's total miRNAs, plays a pivotal role in the liver. However, its intrinsic physiological roles remain largely undetermined. We demonstrated that mice lacking the gene encoding miR-122a (Mir122a) are viable but develop temporally controlled steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These mice exhibited a striking disparity in HCC incidence based on sex, with a male-to-female ratio of 3.9:1, which recapitulates the disease incidence in humans. Impaired expression of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) contributed to steatosis, which was reversed by in vivo restoration of Mttp expression. We found that hepatic fibrosis…

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