title: MiR-144 suppresses cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting SMAD4.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increasing evidence show microRNAs (miRNAs) are engaged in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of miR-144 in HCC, as well as to identify its underlying mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels of miR-144 were assessed in multiple HCC cell lines, as well as in liver tissues from patients with HCC. We further examined the effects of miR-144 on HCC. The molecular target of miR-144 was identified using a computer algorithm and confirmed experimentally.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the levels of miR-144 were frequently downregulated in human HCC tissues and cell lines, and overexpression of miR-144 dramatically inhibited HCC metastasis, invasion, cell cycle, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and chemoresistance. We further verified the SMAD4 as a novel and direct target of miR-144 in HCCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, overexpression of miR-144 or downregulation of SMAD4 may prove beneficial as therapeutic strategies for HCC treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haosheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Baohua
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhongshi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhide
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhixiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jian
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
keywords: liver cancer; microRNA; therapeautic target