title: MicroRNA-206 overexpression promotes apoptosis, induces cell cycle arrest and inhibits the migration of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells.
abstract: MicroRNA-206 (miR-206) is known to regulate cell proliferation and migration and is involved in various types of cancer. However, the role of miR-206 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HHC) has not been previously reported. In the present study, the expression of Notch3 in HCC and adjacent non-neoplastic tissue was immunohistochemically assessed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. miR-206 mimics were transiently transfected into HepG2 cells using Lipofectamine™ 2000. Subsequently, we evaluated the role of miR-206 in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and migration by MTS assay, Hoechst 33342 staining, Annexin V-FITC/PI assay, flow cytometry and wound healing assay. Using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‑PCR) and western blot analysis, we detected the expression of Notch3, Bax, Bcl-2, Hes1, p57 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 at the mRNA and protein level, respectively. In addition, we measured the expression of miR-206 at the mRNA level and that of caspase-3 at the protein level. After miR-206 was upregulated in HepG2 cells, Notch3, Hes1, Bcl-2 and MMP-9 were downregulated both at the mRNA and protein level, whereas p57 and Bax were upregulated. Cleaved caspase-3 protein expression was also markedly increased. Cell proliferation was significantly attenuated and apoptosis was markedly increased. Furthermore, miR-206 overexpression induced cell cycle arrest and inhibited the migration of HepG2 cells. Taken together, our results uggest that miR-206 is a potential regulator of apoptosis, the cell cycle and migration in HepG2 cells and that it has the potential for use in the targeted therapy of HCC and is a novel tumor suppressor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chuanming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Medical Experiment Education Department of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Huifang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangxi College of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunju
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hongfei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Basic Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fusheng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000235:genetics; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: C546087:MIRN206 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins