title: Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell-specific miRNAs reveal the differential             expression of miR-24 and miR-27a in cirrhotic/non-cirrhotic HCC.
abstract: microRNAs (miRs) are 18-25 nucleotide non-coding RNAs that regulate gene             expression in several physiological and pathological conditions. To gather more             knowledge on microRNAs in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) we generated a             small RNA library in the human HCC cell line HA22T/VGH by cloning and sequencing             the cDNA obtained following the size selection of 18-24 nucleotide RNAs. We determined             the expression levels of the most frequently cloned microRNAs by qPCR in HCC tissues             and in their peritumoral counterparts from biopsy specimens of 41 HCC patients.             The most frequently cloned miRs were miR-24, miR-27a and miR-21, and their expression             levels in human HCC tissues indicate that these miRs were dysregulated in HCC.             We showed that miR-24 and miR-27a were significantly downregulated in HCCs from             cirrhotic liver tissues in comparison to those from non-cirrhotic liver tissues.             In cirrhotic HCCs the downregulation of miR-24 was correlated with poorer prognosis             in patients with HBV and HCV virus infections. miR-21 was generally upregulated             in HCC tissues versus the corresponding peritumoral tissues, particularly in non-cirrhotic             HCC. Furthermore, by sequence alignment we identified the human miR orthologue             of Mus musculus miR-1199 not yet annotated. Our results outline the differential             expression of miRs in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic HCCs, thereby contributing to             advances in the discovery and validation of novel molecular biomarkers of HCC             progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Division                     of Biology and Genetics, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salvi
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abeni
authors.forename: Nazario
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Portolani
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barlati
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Petro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C543845:MIRN24 microRNA, human; C531388:MIRN27 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs