title: miR-301a is a candidate oncogene that targets the homeobox gene Gax in human hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a group of noncoding small RNAs that repress mRNA expression or induce mRNA degradation by binding to the 3'-untranslated regions of mRNAs. MiRNAs have been connected closely with the development of cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the overexpression of microRNA-301a (miR-301a) has seldom been connected with tumorigenesis in HCC.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to characterize the function of upregulated miR-301a in HCC and show how the downstream growth arrest-specific homeobox (Gax) is negatively regulated by miR-301a.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of miR-301a and Gax was detected using real-time PCR on HCC tissues and adjacent non-tumorous tissues. The luciferase reporter assay was used to assess Gax as a target of miR-301a. The nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) was measured by western blot after inhibiting miR-301a and enhancing Gax. The functions of miR-301a in vivo in HCC cells were measured by migration and invasion assays and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MiR-301a was significantly upregulated and Gax was downregulated in HCC samples compared with in the matching nontumoral tissues. Inhibiting miR-301a expression caused the upregulation of Gax and repressed NF-κB expression. We have shown that miR-301a plays an important role in increasing proliferation, migration and invasion and in inhibiting apoptosis of HCC cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  miR-301a is frequently upregulated in HCC and modulates NF-κB expression by negatively regulating Gax.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Changsha 410008, China. zpspp@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Lielin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Ruimin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kemin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhiming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics; D009857:Oncogenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C484193:MEOX2 protein, human; C550735:MIRN301A microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger