Novel biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma: Unraveling the role of piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs)

Amiri, Siavash; Aghadavood, Esmat; Mirzaei, Hamed; Shahabodin, Mohamad Esmaeil

doi:10.48307/bcbn.2025.558271.1039

Novel biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma: Unraveling the role of piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs)

Document Type : Review

Authors

Siavash Amiri ¹

Esmat Aghadavood ¹

Hamed Mirzaei ²

Mohamad Esmaeil Shahabodin ²

¹ Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran

² Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute of Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran

10.48307/bcbn.2025.558271.1039

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents approximately 90% of primary liver cancers and is characterized by a rising global incidence and high mortality. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), the current standard serological biomarker, lacks sufficient diagnostic specificity and sensitivity. This emphasize an urgent need for more robust diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs frequently displaying dysregulated expression across various cancers. Their altered expression profiles suggest piRNAs hold significant potential as auxiliary tools for the diagnosis and prognostic prediction of HCC. This narrative review aims to explore the documented dysregulation of specific piRNAs and to examine their emerging role as potential biomarkers in HCC. Specific piRNAs, such as piR-Hep1 and piR-017724, have emerged as promising biomarker candidates in oncology. Their dysregulated expression and involvement in key pathways -including epigenetic regulation- link them to fundamental cancer processes such as apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Recent evidence indicates that several piRNAs may facilitate the sensitive and specific detection and prognostication of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, their precise molecular functions and clinical reliability as biomarkers require further extensive validation.

Keywords

piRNA

PIWI

Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Diagnosis

Biomarker

Subjects