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Liver failure: A NEAT possibility for treatment A long noncoding RNA molecule, one that does not encode the synthesis of protein, is implicated in acute liver failure (AHF) and might offer a new target for drugs to treat the condition. AHF can be induced by various factors, including viruses, drugs, alcohol abuse, and inherited traits. Ke Cheng, Yujun Zhao and colleagues at Central South University in Changsha, China investigated the role of this RNA, called NEAT1, in cell and animal models of AHF. They identified increased production of NEAT1, which suppressed liver cell proliferation and promoted liver cell death. They also uncovered molecular details of the mechanisms underlying these effects, in which the RNA altered the production and regulatory modification of certain proteins. Further research should investigate the therapeutic possibilities of interfering with NEAT1 activity.