In conclusion, the elevation of miR-34a and miR-224 may be associated with both benign and malignant proliferative processes, nevertheless the increased expression of oncomiRs miR-21 and miR-222 in cirrhosis and HCC but not in FNH may be related to malignant processes of the liver.
Moreover, miR-21 levels were independently associated with shorter transplant-free survival and may be used as a prognostic tool in outpatients with stable cirrhosis.
In the miRNA-target regulatory network, overexpression of miR-21 and miR-199a-3p was suggested to be closely associated with the progression of liver cirrhosis.
The results revealed that tissue and serum miR-21 was upregulated significantly in the groups of cirrhosis, early and advanced HCC compared with normal and fibrosis groups.
Here, we determined the serum and hepatic content of miR-21 in patients with liver cirrhosis and rats with dimethylnitrosamine-induced hepatic cirrhosis and examined the effects of miR-21 on SPRY2 and HNF4α in modulating ERK1 signaling in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of hepatocytes.