Lin HT, Castaneda AFA, Krishna SG, Mumtaz K. MicroRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: Charting the path forward. World J Gastroenterol 2024; 30(11): 1470-1474 [PMID: 38617456 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i11.1470]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Khalid Mumtaz, MBBS, Associate Professor, Doctor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 395 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, United States. khalid.mumtaz@osumc.edu
Research Domain of This Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 21, 2024; 30(11): 1470-1474 Published online Mar 21, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i11.1470
MicroRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: Charting the path forward
Hong T Lin, Antonio F Alvarez Castaneda, Somashekar G Krishna, Khalid Mumtaz
Hong T Lin, Antonio F Alvarez Castaneda, Somashekar G Krishna, Khalid Mumtaz, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
Author contributions: Lin HT, Castaneda AFA, Krishna SG, and Mumtaz K have all contributed significantly to the writing of the manuscript; and all authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Khalid Mumtaz, MBBS, Associate Professor, Doctor, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 395 W 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, United States. khalid.mumtaz@osumc.edu
Received: November 21, 2023 Peer-review started: November 21, 2023 First decision: December 25, 2023 Revised: January 10, 2024 Accepted: February 28, 2024 Article in press: February 28, 2024 Published online: March 21, 2024
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized for their involvement in the regulation of gene expression and exhibit significant potential in both the prognostic assessment and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC, like other tumors, seldom occurs in isolation; instead, it evolves within a microenvironment featuring oncogenic and tumor-suppressive elements. When combined with suitable delivery vehicles, miRNA technology provides the capability to directly engage with these elements, thereby hindering tumor formation and progression. Ongoing research in this domain holds the promise of enabling a more efficacious and multi-modal treatment approach for HCC in the near future.
Core Tip: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a family of molecules with dual roles in both the development and prevention of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Depending on the type of miRNA and the target of interest, they have the potential to promote or inhibit angiogenesis, facilitate or inhibit immune invasion, and enable or halt cell cycle progression amongst other effects. When paired with safe and effective delivery vehicles, specific miRNAs show promise as targeted therapies for treating HCC. Nonetheless, owing to the intricate interactions within in vivo systems and limitations of current retrospective studies, further research is imperative to ensure the safety and efficacy of miRNA in HCC therapy.
