AKT1 and Hepatic fibrosis: Recent studies have shown that many miRNAs mediate the activation, proliferation, and regulation of HSCs by regulating their target genes involved in signaling pathways such as the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β)/Smad [36], Wnt/beta-catenin [37], phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Protein kinase B (AKT) [38], and NF-kappaB (NF-κB) pathways [39], and thus play a pivotal role in the development and progression of hepatic fibrosis.