title: miR-34a: Multiple Opposing Targets and One Destiny in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
abstract: Background and Aims:The role of miR-34a in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is controversial and several unresolved issues remain, including its expression pattern and relevance to tumor etiology, tumor stage and prognosis, and finally, its impact on apoptosis.Methods:miR-34a expression was assessed in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced non-metastatic HCC tissues by RT-Q-PCR. Huh-7 cells were transfected with miR-34a mimics and the impact of miR-34a was examined on 84 pro-apoptotic/anti-apoptotic genes using PCR array; its net effect was tested on cell viability via MTT assay.Results:miR-34a expression was up-regulated in HCC tissues. Moreover, miR-34a induced a large set of pro-apoptotic/anti-apoptotic genes, with a net result of triggering apoptosis and repressing cell viability.Conclusions:HCC-related differential expression of miR-34a could be etiology-based or stage-specific, and low expression of miR-34a may predict poor prognosis. This study's findings also emphasize the role of miR-34a in apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Radwa Alaa
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Yacoub
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Injie Omar
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Fawzy
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Reem Amr
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Assal
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Karim Adel
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hosny
authors.affiliation: Virology and Immunology, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Abdel-Rahman Nabawy
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Zekri
authors.affiliation: Department of Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esmat
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hend Mohamed
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: El Tayebi
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt; School of Medicine, New Giza University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed Ihab
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Abdelaziz
keywords: Apoptosis; Hepatocellular carcinoma; MicroRNA; PCR array