title: MicroRNA-200a inhibits cell growth and metastasis by targeting Foxa2 in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Background:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous, small non-coding RNAs which function as essential posttranscriptional modulators of gene expression tightly involved in a wide range of diseases, including the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here, the present study was designed to investigate the expression levels and cellular roles of miR-200a in HCC.Methods:Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of miR-200a in serums and cell lines. Bioinformation analysis, the luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR and western blotting were employed to validate Foxa2 as a direct target gene of miR-200a. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed to identify whether miR-200a could regulate the biological behaviors of HCC cells by targeting Foxa2.Results:In this study, a low level of miR-200a was observed in patients' serums and HCC cell lines. Overexpression of miR-200a in HCC cell lines reduced cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, transcription factor forkhead box A2 (Foxa2) was identified as a novel target of miR-200a and downregulated at mRNA and protein levels in miR-200a overexpressed cells. Meanwhile, restoration of Foxa2 significantly reversed the tumor suppressive effects of miR-200a.Conclusions:These findings indicate that miR-200a regulates the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells by targeting Foxa2, suggesting that miR-200a may function as a potential therapeutic molecular for the diagnosis and treatment of the liver cancer.
authors.affiliation: Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi middle Road, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shu-Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Liver Surgery, Fudan University, Shanghai Cancer Center, Cancer Hospital, 270 Dongan Road, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: De-Ning
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Central Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory, Jingan District Central Hospital, Fudan University, 259 Xikang Road, Shanghai20040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Dan
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi middle Road, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi middle Road, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yue-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi middle Road, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Cheng
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University,1609 Xietu Road, Shanghai 200032, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi middle Road, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University,1609 Xietu Road, Shanghai 200032, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui-Chuan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Sun
keywords: Foxa2; hepatocellular carcinoma; invasion.; miR-200a; migration; proliferation