title: Hsa-miR-195 targets PCMT1 in hepatocellular carcinoma that increases tumor life span.
abstract: MicroRNAs are small 19-25 nucleotides which have been shown to play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in many organisms. Downregulation or accumulation of miRNAs implies either tumor suppression or oncogenic activation. In this study, differentially expressed hsa-miR-195 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was identified and analyzed. The prediction was done using a consensus approach of tools. The validation steps were done at two different levels in silico and in vitro. FGF7, GHR, PCMT1, CITED2, PEX5, PEX13, NOVA1, AXIN2, and TSPYL2 were detected with high significant (P < 0.005). These genes are involved in important pathways in cancer like MAPK signaling pathway, Jak-STAT signaling pathways, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, angiogenesis, Wnt signaling pathway, and TGF-beta signaling pathway. In vitro target validation was done for protein-L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate) O-methyltransferase (PCMT1). The co-transfection of pmirGLO-PCMT1 and pEGP-miR-195 showed highly significant results. Firefly luciferase was detected using Lumiscensor and t test analysis was done. Firefly luciferase expression was significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in comparison to the control. The low expression of firefly luciferase validates the method of target prediction that we used in this work by working on PCMT1 as a target for miR-195. Furthermore, the rest of the predicted genes are suspected to be real targets for hsa-miR-195. These target genes control almost all the hallmarks of liver cancer which can be used as therapeutic targets in cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Biotechnology, Misr University for Science and Technology, Giza, Egypt, marwa.amer@aucegypt.edu.
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elhefnawi
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: El-Ahwany
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Awad
authors.forename: Nermen Abdel
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Gawad
authors.forename: Suher
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zada
authors.forename: F M Abdel
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Tawab
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D063990:Gene Ontology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D026601:Protein D-Aspartate-L-Isoaspartate Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; C552722:MIRN195 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D008156:Luciferases; C435725:PCMT1 protein, human; D026601:Protein D-Aspartate-L-Isoaspartate Methyltransferase