Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 28, 2014; 20(24): 7894-7913
Published online Jun 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i24.7894
DNA methylation, microRNAs, and their crosstalk as potential biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma
Sumadi Lukman Anwar, Ulrich Lehmann
Sumadi Lukman Anwar, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
Sumadi Lukman Anwar, Ulrich Lehmann, Institute of Pathology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, D30625 Hannover, Germany
Author contributions: Anwar SL and Lehmann U contributed to this manuscript.
Supported by Grant from the German Research Council (DFG), SFB-TRR77 “Liver cancer” (Project B1)
Correspondence to: Sumadi Lukman Anwar, MD, PhD, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Kesehatan 1, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia. sl.anwar@ugm.ac.id
Telephone: +62-274-581333 Fax: +62-274-581333
Received: December 24, 2013
Revised: January 24, 2014
Accepted: March 6, 2014
Published online: June 28, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: A comprehensive review of the literature revealed that epigenetic inactivation of microRNA genes is a frequent event in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hypermethylation of microRNA genes can discriminate HCC from benign liver tumors and correlates with poor prognosis, representing a promising new diagnostic and prognostic marker in HCC. Aberrant DNA methylation of microRNA genes affects several key signaling pathways important in hepatocarcinogenesis and for maintenance of cancer stem cell phenotype.