title: Role of Bcl-2 and its associated miRNAs in vasculogenic mimicry of hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An investigation of the role of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and its associated miRNAs in vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Bcl-2 expression plasmid was constructed for transfection into the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. Changes in the expression profiles of the miRNAs induced by Bcl-2 overexpression and their relationships with vasculogenic mimicry were analysed. Real-time PCR was performed in frozen tissue specimens from 42 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma to analyse the relationship between Bcl-2 and miR-27a; Immunohistochemical staining was performed in paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 97 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma to analyse the relationship between Bcl-2 expression and the expression of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) related molecules VEGF and HIF1A, which were target genes of the Bcl-2 related miRNAs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overexpression of Bcl-2 results in a significant change in the expression of a wide range of miRNAs, and the target genes of these miRNAs are composed of various vasculogenic mimicry related genes; Bcl-2 expression was positively correlated with the expression of the miRNA target genes VEGF and HIF1A. The expression of VEGF and HIF1A was significantly and positively correlated with VM and poor prognosis of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bcl-2 may play a role in vasculogenic mimicry through miRNAs by targeting angiogenesis associated genes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, Cancer Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China.
authors.forename: Bao-Cun
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Lan
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Che
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China; Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical UniversityTianjin, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gu
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011379:Prognosis; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014162:Transfection; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000595707:BCL2 protein, human; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; C531388:MIRN27 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
keywords: Bcl-2; HIF1A; VEGF; hepatocellular carcinoma; miRNA; vasculogenic mimicry