Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) increases the risk of various liver injuries, ranging from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis and cirrhosis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ample evidence has suggested that aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is functionally involved in the activation of cellular stress, inflammation and fibrogenesis in hepatic cells, including hepatocytes, Kupffer and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), at different pathological stages of NAFLD and liver fibrosis. Here, we overview recent findings on the potential role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, including lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, metabolic inflammation and fibrogenesis. We critically assess the literatures on both human subjects and animal models of NAFLD and liver fibrosis with miRNA dysregulation and their mechanisms of actions in liver damage. We further highlight the potential use of miRNA mimics or antimiRNAs as therapeutic approaches for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD and liver fibrosis.

非酒精性脂肪肝疾病（NAFLD）增加了各种肝损伤的风险，从单纯性脂肪变性到非酒精性脂肪性肝炎（NASH），纤维化和肝硬化，最终是肝细胞癌（HCC）。大量证据表明，microRNA（miRNA）的异常表达在功能上参与了NAFLD和肝纤维化不同病理阶段的肝细胞（包括肝细胞，Kupffer和肝星状细胞（HSC））的细胞应激，炎症和纤维生成的激活。 。在这里，我们概述了关于miRNA在NAFLD发病机理中潜在作用的最新发现，包括脂毒性，氧化应激，代谢性炎症和纤维化。我们批判性地评估有关人类受试者和NAFLD和肝纤维化伴miRNA失调的动物模型的文献，以及它们在肝损伤中的作用机制。我们进一步强调了miRNA模拟物或抗miRNA作为预防和治疗NAFLD和肝纤维化的治疗方法的潜在用途。