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Sen. Hepatoma Research 2018;4:37 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2018.39

Review Open Access

Aberrant pre-mRNA splicing regulation in the
development of hepatocellular carcinoma

Supriya Sen
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Correspondence to: Dr. Supriya Sen, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los
Angeles, 611 Charles E Young Drive E, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. E-mail: ssen@ucla.edu

How to cite this article: Sen S. Aberrant pre-mRNA splicing regulation in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatoma Res
2018;4:37. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-5079.2018.39

Received: 12 Apr 2018 First Decision: 9 Jun 2018 Revised: 21 Jun 2018 Accepted: 22 Jun 2018 Published: 18 Jul 2018

Science Editor: Guang-Wen Cao Copy Editor: Jun-Yao Li Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract
Alternative splicing is a highly regulated process that plays a critical role in diversification of the transcriptome and
proteome in the cell. Several diseases, including different types of cancers, have been associated with aberrant
regulation of alternative splicing. Thus, correcting alternative splicing is an attractive strategy to restore normal
cell physiology in patients with cancer including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This review summarizes the role
of alternative splicing events related to HCC and potential therapeutic applications for it.

Keywords: Alternative splicing, hepatocellular carcinoma, splicing factors

HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA: THE CAUSE OF DISEASE AND MORTALITY
[1]
Liver cancer is the fifth most leading cause of cancer death worldwide . More than 700,000 people are di-
agnosed with this cancer and 600,000 people die each year throughout the world. Hepatocellular carcinoma
(HCC) is the most common form of primary liver cancer, accounting 70%-85% of all liver cancer in adults,
primarily caused by chronic liver injury and inflammation, e.g., viral hepatitis or alcoholic and non-alcoholic
[2,3]
cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) .

[4]
From the molecular point of view, HCCs are complex tumors . The prognosis of HCC is unsatisfactory due
to lack of reliable early diagnostic and screening tests and effective treatment options. Seventy percent of
HCCs have been detected in an advanced stage at diagnosis. The molecular pathogenesis of the disease has
also remained poorly understood. Therefore, a better understanding of HCC biology and identification of the
prognostic molecular markers with benefits for HCC risk assessment and development of novel therapeutic

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.

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