Long non‐coding RNA H19: A key player in liver diseases

The rapid advance in deep sequencing technologies has identified numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and their biological functions are increasingly being recognized as important regulators of gene expression and cell signaling pathways. H19 is the first lncRNA identified and characterized as the first imprinted gene in the pre-genomic era. During the last three decades, H19 has been extensively investigated as a multitasking lncRNA. H19 plays a crucial role in regulating many biological functions and is intimately involved in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. Here, we highlight the recent findings related to H19 in liver diseases. The unique features of H19 biogenesis and regulation make it an attractive diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for certain liver diseases. Conclusions: The roles of H19 in liver disease remains obscure. The rapid advance in new technologies offers promise for the understanding of the mechanisms of lncRNA H19 in physiological and pathological processes of liver diseases and for the development novel therapeutics.