https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.15212/bioi-2025-0060
Announcing a new article publication for
BIO Integration journal. Liver fibrosis is caused by excessive extracellular matrix accumulation, which in turn is driven by activation of hepatic stellate cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, are increasingly recognized as crucial regulators of gene expression in liver pathology, including fibrosis, by influencing intercellular crosstalk.
Among these miRNAs, microRNA-223 (miR-223) has emerged as a key regulator of fibrosis, beyond its originally recognized role in innate immunity. By traveling between liver cell types via exosomes, miR-223 modulates inflammation and fibrosis via Hedgehog, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and transforming growth factor-β signaling, and additionally dampens hepatic stellate cell activation by repressing glioma-associated oncogene homolog 2, PDGF receptor β, α-smooth muscle actin, and autophagy related 7, thereby influencing mechanotransduction and autophagy. However, numerous studies have reported opposite results, in which miR-223 promotes fibrosis under certain conditions, thus underscoring the roles of cellular environments, expression levels, and competing RNA networks.
This article synthesizes the current, sometimes contradictory, evidence; outlines how context shapes miR-223’s dual actions; and surveys the development of therapeutic strategies, including miRNA mimics, nanoparticle formulations, and extracellular-vesicle delivery, including major challenges in tissue targeting, cargo stability, and long-term safety. These insights together highlight miR-223 as a complex but intriguing target for antifibrotic treatment.
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BIO Integration is fully open access journal which will allow for the rapid dissemination of multidisciplinary views driving the progress of modern medicine.
As part of its mandate to help bring interesting work and knowledge from around the world to a wider audience,
BIOI will actively support authors through open access publishing and through waiving author fees in its first years. Also, publication support for authors whose first language is not English will be offered in areas such as manuscript development, English language editing and artwork assistance.
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https://www.scienceopen.com/search#collection/55f45bac-fd64-431c-9fe7-50fd6a7f8781).
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ISSN 2712-0074
eISSN 2712-0082
Chinnatam Phetkong and Chaiyaboot Ariyachet. MicroRNAs in Liver Fibrosis: Unraveling Intercellular Crosstalk and the Regulatory Functions of MicroRNA-223.
BIOI. 2025. Vol. 6(1). DOI: 10.15212/bioi-2025-0060
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