Expression of the Long Noncoding RNA GAS5 Correlates with Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Man-Hoon Han; Jee Hyun Lee; Gyeonghwa Kim; Eunhye Lee; Yu Rim Lee; Se Young Jang; Hye Won Lee; Jae Min Chun; Young Seok Han; Jun Sik Yoon; Min Kyu Kang; Won Kee Lee; Young Oh Kweon; Won Young Tak; Soo Young Park; Jung Gil Park; Keun Hur

doi:10.3390/genes11050545

Expression of the Long Noncoding RNA GAS5 Correlates with Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Genes (Basel). 2020 May 13;11(5):545. doi: 10.3390/genes11050545.

Authors

Man-Hoon Han¹, Jee Hyun Lee², Gyeonghwa Kim², Eunhye Lee², Yu Rim Lee³, Se Young Jang³, Hye Won Lee⁴, Jae Min Chun⁵, Young Seok Han⁵, Jun Sik Yoon⁶, Min Kyu Kang⁷, Won Kee Lee⁸, Young Oh Kweon³, Won Young Tak³, Soo Young Park³, Jung Gil Park⁷, Keun Hur²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu 41944, Korea.
² Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Cell and Matrix Research Institute, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, Korea.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu 41944, Korea.
⁴ Department of Pathology, Dongsan Medical Center, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, Korea.
⁵ Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu 41944, Korea.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan 74392, Korea.
⁷ Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu 42415, Korea.
⁸ Medical Research Collaboration Center in KNUH and School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 42415, Korea.

Abstract

Background: Advanced liver fibrosis is the most important prognostic factor in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5), is associated with the inhibition of liver fibrogenesis, and its levels are decreased in cirrhotic liver.

Methods: We analyzed 51 patients with NAFLD, the diagnosis of which was confirmed by liver biopsy. Expression of GAS5 in both the liver and plasma of the patients was analyzed using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction according to the fibrosis stage.

Results: Plasma GAS5 expression was significantly higher in patients with advanced fibrosis than in those without. As the fibrosis progressed, GAS5 expression in plasma increased, with the exception of that in cirrhotic livers. Plasma levels of GAS5 were lower in patients with cirrhosis than in those with advanced fibrosis.

Conclusion: Elevated circulating levels of the lncRNA GAS5 are associated with the progression of liver fibrosis prior to the development of cirrhosis.

Keywords: biomarker; liver fibrosis; lncRNA GAS5; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; noncoding RNA.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Disease Progression
Female
Gene Expression Regulation*
Humans
Liver / metabolism*
Liver Cirrhosis / etiology*
Liver Cirrhosis / genetics
Liver Cirrhosis / metabolism
Male
Middle Aged
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / complications*
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / genetics
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / metabolism
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / pathology
RNA, Long Noncoding / biosynthesis*
RNA, Long Noncoding / blood
RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

GAS5 long non-coding RNA, human
RNA, Long Noncoding