Molecular and systems-level analyses reveal the emerging role of non-coding RNAs in liver diseases

Thus, the liver is prone to many diseases. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common liver disease, is an umbrella term for a range of conditions compromising hepatic steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis and cirrhosis without alcohol consumption, which may highly increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the leading causes of cancer-related death.

Diabetes mellitus, one of the most common chronic diseases, has an intimate association with the onset of NAFLD. In addition, hepatic disease can cause the disordered metabolism of glucose, which is regarded as the pathophysiologic basis of diabetes in liver disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), the small and non-coding RNAs, are involved in various biological processes by regulating gene expression at transcriptional or translational levels.