title: [MicroRNA-218 expression and its role in hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of microRNA-218 (miR-218) and its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-six pairs of fresh surgical specimens of HCC and adjacent tissues were examined for miR-218 expression using qRT-PCR. A miR-218 mimic was transfected into HepG2 cells, and the cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry, and the potential targets of miR-218 were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expressions of miR-218 in HCC tissues were significantly down-regulated compared to those in the adjacent tissues (P<0.05). Down-regulation of miR-218 was found to correlate significantly with the tumor size (>5 cm) and an advanced TNM stage (III+IV) (P<0.05). Ectopic expression of miR-218 in HepG2 cells resulted in suppressed cell proliferation and enhanced cell apoptosis as well as the down-regulation of Bmi-1 and CDK6 mRNA and protein expressions (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The low-expression of miR-218 is correlated with malignant clinicopathological characteristics of HCC, and miR-218 may inhibit cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis by down-regulating Bmi-1 and CDK6 in HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an 710061, China. E-mail: qixinlichao@163.com.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kangsheng
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tuo
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yingmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Qingguang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D051361:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C069077:BMI1 protein, human; C547471:MIRN218 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; C495911:CDK6 protein, human; D051361:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 6