# Tristetraprolin Family Members and Processing Bodies: A Complex Regulatory Network Involved in Fatty Liver Disease, Viral Hepatitis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

## TL;DR

This review explores how TTP family proteins and P-bodies regulate gene expression in liver diseases and cancer.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the regulatory network of TTP and P-bodies in chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma.

## Key findings

- TTP family members regulate gene expression in metabolic and inflammatory processes.
- Alterations in TTP/P-bodies contribute to chronic liver diseases and HCC.
- TTP and P-bodies are involved in MASLD, ALD, and viral hepatitis.

## Abstract

Tristetraprolin (TTP) family members are major regulators of gene expression involved in metabolic, inflammatory and carcinogenic processes. These proteins can promote mRNA degradation through a complex regulatory process involving the assembly of membraneless cytoplasmic granules, namely, processing bodies (P-bodies). Alteration of the TTP/P-bodies axis contributes to the development of chronic liver diseases and their progression toward hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, we discuss the current roles of TTP family members and P-bodies in the context of fatty liver disease, hepatic viral infections and HCC.

Chronic liver diseases, such as those encountered with obesity, chronic/abusive alcohol consumption or viral infections, represent not only major public health concerns with limited therapeutic options but also important risk factors for the onset of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Deciphering the molecular traits underlying these disorders is of high interest for designing new and effective treatments. The tristetraprolin (TTP) family members are of particular importance given their ability to control the expression of a wide range of genes involved in metabolism, inflammation and carcinogenesis at the post-transcriptional level. This regulation can occur within small cytoplasmic granules, namely, processing bodies (P-bodies), where the mRNA degradation occurs. Increasing evidence indicates that TTP family members and P-bodies are involved in the development of chronic liver diseases and cancers. In this review, we discuss the role of this regulatory mechanism in metabolic-dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), hepatic viral infections and HCC.