title: Ectopic expression of MiR-125a inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting MMP11 and VEGF.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have been shown that miR-125a plays an important role in carcinogenesis, however, the role of miR-125a in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains elusive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Real time-PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to test the significance of miR-125a in HCC. Ectopic expression of miR-125a was used to test the influences of miR-125a on proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Predicted target genes of miR-125a were determined by dual-luciferase reporting, qRT-PCR, and western blot (WB) analyses. Then immunohistochemical staining (IHC) was used to detect the expression of target genes, and the correlations and prognostic values of miR-125a and its target genes were also investigated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased miR-125a was observed in both HCC tissues and cell lines, and associated with patients' aggressive pathologic features. Up-regulating miR-125a significantly inhibited the malignant phenotypes by repressing the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 11 (MMP11) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, miR-125a expression was inversely correlated with both MMP11 and VEGF-A expression in HCC tissues. Inhibiting miR-125a could increase both MMP11 and VEGF-A expression, and RNA interference targeting MMP11 or VEGF-A mRNA could rescue the loss of miR-125a functions. MiR-125a inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of HCC by targeting MMP11 and VEGF-A. Up-regulation of miR-125a might be a promising approach and a prognostic marker for HCC.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, PR China.
authors: Qian
authors: Q
authors: Bi
authors: Shanhong
authors: S
authors: Tang
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Xia
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Du
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Fan
authors: Liucun
authors: L
authors: Gao
authors: Jiang
authors: J
authors: Jin
authors: Shuhui
authors: S
authors: Liang
authors: Zheng
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: Guanghui
authors: G
authors: Xu
authors: Yongzhan
authors: Y
authors: Nie
authors: Kaichun
authors: K
authors: Wu
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Yongquan
authors: Y
authors: Shi
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Ding
authors: Daiming
authors: D
authors: Fan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D053507:Matrix Metalloproteinase 11 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C531888:MIRN125 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C511771:MMP11 protein, human; D053507:Matrix Metalloproteinase 11