Deciphering the role of taurine-upregulated gene 1 in liver diseases: Mechanisms, clinical relevance, and emerging therapeutic opportunities.

Abstract

Liver diseases are progressive conditions driven by multiple factors, including molecular regulators such as nonprotein-coding RNAs, which orchestrate genetic and epigenetic processes across various biological levels. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), RNA molecules longer than 200 nucleotides, have been identified as key modulators in both cancerous and noncancerous liver diseases. Among them, taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1), one of the earliest discovered lncRNAs, has emerged as a tumor promoter in hepatocellular carcinoma. Functionally, TUG1 exerts its regulatory effects primarily through microRNA sponging as a competing endogenous RNA while also exhibiting protein-binding capabilities that suggest additional roles in both transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation. Furthermore, evidence suggests that dysregulation of TUG1 is closely linked to the development and progression of liver diseases. This review explores the key characteristics, mechanisms, and signaling pathways through which TUG1 affects liver disease, offering fresh insights into potential therapeutic directions and new avenues for future TUG1-related research.