Hepatitis B virus X protein-mediated non-coding RNA aberrations in the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma

Exp Mol Med. 2017 Feb 10;49(2):e293. doi: 10.1038/emm.2016.177.

Abstract

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has an important role in the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Accumulated evidence has shown that HBV-encoded X protein (HBx) can induce both genetic alterations in tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, as well as epigenetic aberrations in HCC pathogens. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) mainly include microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Although ncRNAs cannot code proteins, growing evidence has shown that they have various important biological functions in cell proliferation, cell cycle control, anti-apoptosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, tumor invasion and metastasis. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the mechanisms and emerging roles of ncRNAs in the pathogenesis of HBV-related HCC. Accumulated data have shown that ncRNAs regulated by HBx have a crucial role in HBV-associated hepatocarcinogenesis. The findings of these studies will contribute to more clinical applications of HBV-related ncRNAs as potential diagnostic markers or as molecular therapeutic targets to prevent and treat HBV-related HCC.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / virology*
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Hepatitis B virus / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver / virology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / virology*
  • RNA, Untranslated / genetics*
  • RNA, Untranslated / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins

Substances

  • RNA, Untranslated
  • Trans-Activators
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
  • hepatitis B virus X protein