miR-142-3p Inhibits the Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating HMGB1 Gene Expression

Title:miR-142-3p Inhibits the Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating HMGB1 Gene Expression

Volume: 18 Issue: 3

Author(s): Y. Fu, L.-Q. Sun, Y. Huang, J. Quan, X. Hu, D. Tang, R. Kang, N. Li*X.-G. Fan*

Affiliation:

• Department of Blood Transfusion, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008,China

• Department of Infectious Diseases and Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008,China

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, miR-142-3p, HMGB1, migration, invasion, tumor suppressor.

Abstract: Background: Non-coding small RNAs are involved in organism development, and their aberrant regulation induces various diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but their exact mechanisms have not been determined.

Objective: The aim was to investigate the role of miR-142-3p on HMGB1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: Expression levels of miR-142-3p in HCC tissues and cultured cells were measured by RT-PCR. The invasion and metastasis abilities of HepG2 cells according to Transwell migration and invasion assays, and protein expression was measured by western blotting.

Results: The present study reported that miR-142-3p promotes the invasion and migration of HCC cells. miR-142-3p levels are lower in HCC tissues than in adjacent non-cancerous tissues, suggesting a tumor suppressor role for miR-142-3p. Highmobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is an oncogene that promotes the metastasis of HCC. miR-142-3p or HMGB1 knockdown alone inhibits the invasion and migration of HCC cells, and HMGB1 overexpression impedes the effect of miR-142-3p. Further studies showed that HMGB1 is a direct target gene of miR-142-3p in HCC. miR-142-3p represses HMGB1 gene transcription by directly binding to the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of HMGB1, thereby inhibiting cancer cell invasion and migration.

Conclusion: This study, for the first time, reports that miR-142-3p is a novel tumor suppressor that inhibits the invasion and migration of HCC cells by directly regulating gene transcription of HMGB1. Thus, miR-142-3p may be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker for HCC patients.

Cite this article as:

Fu Y. , Sun L.-Q. , Huang Y. , Quan J. , Hu X. , Tang D. , Kang R. , Li N. *, Fan X.-G.*, miR-142-3p Inhibits the Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating HMGB1 Gene Expression, Current Molecular Medicine 2018; 18 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1566524018666180907161124