microRNAs and Hepatitis B

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of persistent liver diseases, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the precise mechanism underlying the development of HBV-related diseases is not fully understood. In addition, the therapeutic strategies for the diseases are less than optimum. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that have been described as a "fine-tuner" in various cellular events. The dysregulation of miRNAs play a role in the development of the cancer as well as viral interference. Recent articles have demonstrated that several miRNAs are deregulated by HBV infection and contribute to viral replication and pathogenesis. Thus, it suggests that the precise mechanism between miRNA and HBV biology will be leading to the development of the novel diagnosis and therapy. This chapter aims to provide the basic principals of miRNAs in development of the HBV-related diseases. We also discuss about the possibility of miRNAs on the clinical application for diagnosis and therapy of HBV-related diseases.