Featured long non-coding RNA – LALR1

Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been investigated as a new class of regulators of biological function. A recent study reported that lncRNAs control cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of lncRNAs in liver regeneration and the overall mechanisms remain largely unknown.

To address this issue, researchers at the Second Military Medical University, China carried out a genome-wide lncRNA microarray analysis during liver regeneration in mice after 2/3 partial hepatectomy (PH) at various time points. The results revealed differential expression of a subset of lncRNAs, notably a specific differentially expressed lncRNA associated with Wnt/β-Catenin signaling during liver regeneration (An LncRNA Associated with Liver Regeneration, termed lncRNA-LALR1). The functions of lncRNA-LALR1 were assessed by silencing and overexpressing this lncRNA in vitro and in vivo. They found that lncRNA-LALR1 enhanced hepatocyte proliferation by promoting progression of the cell cycle in vitro. Furthermore, they showed that lncRNA-LALR1 accelerated mouse hepatocyte proliferation and cell cycle progression during liver regeneration in vivo. Mechanistically, they discovered that lncRNA-LALR1 facilitated cyclin D1 expression through activation of Wnt/β-Catenin signaling via suppression of Axin1. In addition, lncRNA-LALR1 inhibited the expression of Axin1 mainly by recruiting CTCF to the AXIN1 promoter region. The scientists also identified a human ortholog RNA of lncRNA-LALR1 (lncRNA-hLALR1) and found that it was expressed in human liver tissues.

These results indicate that lncRNA-LALR1 promotes cell cycle progression and accelerates hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration by activating Wnt/β-Catenin signaling. Thus, pharmacological intervention targeting lncRNA-LALR1 may be therapeutically beneficial in liver failure and liver transplantation by inducing liver regeneration.

  • Xu D, Yang F, Yuan JH, Zhang L, Bi HS, Zhou CC, Liu F, Wang F, Sun SH. (2013) LncRNA-LALR1 accelerates hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration by activating Wnt/β-Catenin signaling. Hepatology [Epub ahead of print]. [abstract]

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