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Updated: Sep 1, 2025

Detection of RNA-binding Proteins by In Vitro RNA Pull-down in Adipocyte Culture
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Detection of RNA-binding Proteins by In Vitro RNA Pull-down in Adipocyte Culture

Published on: July 22, 2016

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Noncoding RNAs and RNA-binding proteins: emerging governors of liver physiology and metabolic diseases

Christian Sommerauer1, Claudia Kutter1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Tumor, and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden.

American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology
|August 15, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Noncoding RNAs, like long (lncRNA) and short (sRNA) RNAs, offer promising therapeutic targets for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Their interactions with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) provide precise control over cellular pathways, opening new treatment avenues.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Hepatology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • The liver is crucial for homeostasis but susceptible to metabolic overload, leading to fatty liver disease (MAFLD).
  • MAFLD affects a quarter of the global population, with limited pharmaceutical treatments available.
  • Current therapeutic strategies targeting hepatic proteins have shown limited success.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the emerging roles of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in liver physiology and disease.
  • To explore the potential of ncRNA-protein interactions for MAFLD and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment.
  • To highlight the spatiotemporal and cell-type specificity of ncRNAs for targeted interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent advances in RNA-centric and RNA-binding protein (RBP)-centric research.
  • Analysis of studies investigating RBP-lncRNA interactions and small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs).
  • Synthesis of knowledge on the RNA-RBP interface in cellular regulation.

Main Results:

  • Noncoding RNAs, including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and short noncoding RNAs (sRNAs), play significant roles in cellular processes.
  • Riboregulation, the fine-tuning of protein function by ncRNAs, offers precise control over cellular pathways.
  • RBP-lncRNA interactions and sRNAs are critical in shaping liver cell physiology and the pathogenesis of MAFLD and HCC.

Conclusions:

  • Noncoding RNAs represent a promising frontier for developing novel therapeutic strategies against liver diseases.
  • The specific nature of ncRNAs allows for targeted interventions in a spatiotemporally defined manner.
  • Understanding RNA-RBP interactions is key to unlocking new treatment modalities for MAFLD and HCC.
Keywords:
NAFLD/MAFLDRNA-binding proteinshepatocellular carcinomaliver physiologynoncoding RNA

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