Circulating RNA: looking at the liver through a frosted glass

Context: The evaluation of the liver condition, based on serum enzymatic activity and biopsies, is insufficient. Therefore, it is a priority to find a correlation between circulating RNAs and liver damage.

Methods: Publications were retrieved by the search terms “circulating RNA AND liver”.

Results: Although differences exist between studies, a profile of RNAs that repeatedly appeared as indicators of liver damage was identified.

Discussion: We highlight those circulating RNAs useful to diagnostic, and discuss the transport mechanisms.

Conclusion: Several studies have proven that circulating RNAs are useful to establish a diagnostic and a prognosis of liver diseases.