MicroRNA-936 Targets JAG1 and Inhibits the Proliferation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Prognostic value of miR-378c in hepatocellular carcinoma and its regulatory effect on tumor progression

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the diagnostic and prognostic value of miR-378c in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

METHODS

This study included 97 HCC patients, 84 cirrhosis patients and 80 healthy volunteers. Serum miR-378c of all subjects and HCC cell lines was detected by qRT-PCR, and ROC curves were plotted to assess the clinical diagnostic value of miR-378c for HCC. The prognostic performance of miR-378c in HCC was assessed using the Kaplan-Meyer method and COX regression analysis. CCK-8 test for proliferation of HCC cell lines. The migration and invasion of HCC cell lines were measured by Transwell assay. Bioinformatics analysis was employed to analyze the possible target genes of miR-378c.

RESULTS

Serum miR-378c were remarkably lower in HCC patients than in cirrhosis patients and healthy controls (p < 0.001). ROC curves indicated that serum miR-378c could effectively distinguish HCC patients from healthy controls and cirrhotic patients. Among HCC patients, those with high miR-378c expression had higher cumulative survival (p = 0.001), and COX analysis identified miR-378c as an independent prognostic biomarker for HCC. Overexpression of miR-378c significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of MHCC97H and HepG2 cells (p < 0.01). Bioinformatics analysis of miR-378c target genes revealed that miR-378c target genes were enriched in tumor-associated pathways.

CONCLUSION

Serum miR-378c expression is decreased in HCC patients and strongly connected with poor prognosis. As a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for HCC patients, it may provide new insights into the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

CircZCCHC2 (hsa_circ_0000854) promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through modulating miR-936/BTBD7 axis and activating Rho/ROCK2 pathway

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive and refractory cancers due to its high propensity to metastasize and the unavailability of efficacious treatments. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in diverse biological activities in human cancers. Here, we detected the upregulation of a novel circRNA, circZCCHC2 (hsa_circ_0000854), in HCC samples and cells. The upregulation indicated an unfavorable prognosis in HCC patients. CircZCCHC2 accelerated cell growth and metastasis in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that circZCCHC2 regulated BTBD7 expression by sponging miR-936. Moreover, the suppression of malignancy caused by circZCCHC2 knockdown could be sufficiently reversed by miR-936 inhibition. Additionally, the suppressed Rho/ROCK2 pathway conferred by circZCCHC2 knockdown could be restored by inhibiting miR-936 expression. Collectively, our findings reveal that circZCCHC2 plays an oncogenic role of in HCC progression by modulating the miR-936/BTBD7/Rho/ROCK2 pathway.

Epigenetic regulation of hepatocellular carcinoma progression: MicroRNAs as therapeutic, diagnostic and prognostic factors

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a significant challenge for public healthcare systems in developed Western countries including the USA, Canada, and the UK, is influenced by different risk factors including hepatitis virus infections, alcoholism, and smoking. The disruption in the balance of microRNAs (miRNAs) plays a vital function in tumorigenesis, given their function as regulators in numerous signaling networks. These miRNAs, which are mature and active in the cytoplasm, work by reducing the expression of target genes through their impact on mRNAs. MiRNAs are particularly significant in HCC as they regulate key aspects of the tumor, like proliferation and invasion. Additionally, during treatment phases such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the levels of miRNAs are key determinants. Pre-clinical experiments have demonstrated that altered miRNA expression contributes to HCC development, metastasis, drug resistance, and radio-resistance, highlighting related molecular pathways and processes like MMPs, EMT, apoptosis, and autophagy. Furthermore, the regulatory role of miRNAs in HCC extends beyond their immediate function, as they are also influenced by other epigenetic factors like lncRNAs and circular RNAs (circRNAs), as discussed in recent reviews. Applying these discoveries in predicting the prognosis of HCC could mark a significant advancement in the therapy of this disease.