Novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of a-fetoprotein expression and malignant phenotypes of hepatocellular carcinoma

MicroRNA122(miR-122)is highly liver-specific and constitutes more than 70%of microRNAs(miRNAs)in the normal adult liver.a-fetoprotein(AFP)is the most conventional tumor marker used for detecting and surveying hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),one of the more common and lethal cancers worldwide.In a recent issue of Nature Communications,Kojima et al.have revealed a strong association between the two biomarkers,1 providing novel insights into the roles of miR-122 in AFP expression and malignant phenotypes of HCC.