Review

Exosomal miRNAs as biomarkers in the diagnosis of liver disease

School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China

Institute for Liver Disease of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China

The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune medicines, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China

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Jian-Qing Wang

Department of Pharmacology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China

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Xiong-Wen Lv

*Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: lxw31288@aliyun.com

School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China

Institute for Liver Disease of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China

The Key Laboratory of Anti-inflammatory and Immune medicines, Ministry of Education, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China

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Published Online:9 Jun 2017https://doi.org/10.2217/bmm-2017-0011

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Abstract

Liver disease is a primary cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. Currently, histological examination is the gold standard for diagnosis and classification of liver disease; however, due to its several drawbacks, including the risk of complications and sampling variability, noninvasive diagnostic options are favorable. Exosomal miRNAs have recently been considered as an important source of medical biomarkers due to being widely distributed in body fluids. This review summarizes existing concepts related to the origin, mode of transportation and possible functions of exosomal miRNAs, and recent findings on the role of exosomal miRNAs in liver diseases and development of exosomal miRNA-based diagnostic biomarkers in the primary forms of liver diseases.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Published online 9 June 2017

Published in print May 2017

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Financial & competing interests disclosure

This project was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 81270498; No. 81400643); 2016 Annual Leading Talent Introduction and Cultivation Project in Universities (No. gxbjZD2016032); Anhui Medical University, Second Affiliated Hospital of PhD scientific research fund aided projects (No. 2014BKJ039). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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