title: MicroRNA-21 Contributes to Liver Regeneration by Targeting PTEN.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Multiple microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs), including miR-21, have been documented to be critical regulators of liver regeneration, but the mechanism underlying their roles in hepatocyte proliferation and cell cycle progression is still far from understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  miR-21 levels were determined using qRT-PCRs in mouse livers at 48 h after 70% partial hepatectomy (PH-48 h). Cell proliferation was determined by use of a cell-counting kit-8 (CCK-8), EdU incorporation staining, and flow cytometry. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expressions were determined using qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. PTEN siRNA was used to perform the rescue experiment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A marked upregulation of miR-21 was observed in mouse livers at 48 h after 70% partial hepatectomy (PH-48 h) compared to 0 h after PH (PH-0 h). Overexpression of miR-21 was associated with increased proliferation and a rapid G1-to-S phase transition of the cell cycle in BNL CL.2 normal liver cells in vitro. In addition, we showed that PTEN expression was inversely correlated with miR-21 in BNL CL.2 cells and demonstrated that PTEN expression is lower in mouse livers at PH-48 h. Moreover, the presence of PTEN siRNA significantly abolished the suppressive effect of miR-21 inhibitor on hepatocyte proliferation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  miR-21 overexpression contributes to liver regeneration and hepatocyte proliferation by targeting PTEN. Upregulation of miR-21 might be a useful therapeutic strategy to promote liver regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Meiyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University Ss Cyril and Methodius, Skopje, Macedonia.
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dimitrova-Shumkovska
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yingying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Wenzhuo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Biochemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Digestive Disease Institute, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Changqing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048429:Cell Size; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006498:Hepatectomy; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C531950:MIRN21 microRNA, mouse; D035683:MicroRNAs; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C487757:Pten protein, mouse