Exploration of miR-1202 and miR-196a in human endometrial cancer based on high throughout gene screening analysis

Identification of prognostic biomarkers for endometrioid endometrial carcinoma based on the miRNA and mRNA co-expression network regulated by estradiol

BACKGROUND

Endometrioid Endometrial Carcinoma (EEC), an estradiol-related disease, remains a serious health threat to women because of its high incidence and trend of rejuvenation. Accumulating evidence has highlighted that microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) play important roles in various biological processes involved in the pathogenesis of EEC. This study aimed to identify the potential prognostic biomarkers associated with EEC regulated by estradiol.

METHODS

RNA expression profiles of EEC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database (n = 408) and the original sequencing, which was performed on endometrial cancer Ishikawa cells treated with 250 nM estradiol (n = 3), 50 nM estradiol (n = 3) or control (n = 3). The TargetScan database was used to predict the target genes of prognosis-related differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). Subsequently, functional enrichment analysis and topological analysis were performed on the overlaps of target genes and differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to predict prognosis-related target genes to identify prognostic biomarkers and cell population landscapes, and gene expression analysis was performed to locate prognosis-related DEGs based on single-cell transcriptomic sequencing data from the NCBI Sequence Read Archive database.

RESULTS

Four estradiol-related DEGs were associated with prognosis, and 235 overlapping target DEGs were screened and incorporated into the functional enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction network visualization studies. Additionally, SACS and GPR157 were identified as potential biomarkers for EEC prognosis through survival analyses. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptome data were analyzed to show changes in gene expression levels in specific cell types.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that miR-142-5p-SACS and miR-30a-5p-GPR157, which are regulated by estradiol, may hold promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for EEC.

GSG2 promotes progression of human endometrial cancer by regulating PD-1/PD-L1 expression via PI3K-AKT pathway

Cell cycle dysregulation leading to uncontrolled growth is a primary characteristic of malignancy. GSG2, a mitosis-related kinase, affects the normal cell cycle by interfering with the normal dissociation of centromere cohesion, and its overexpression has been shown to play an important role in cancer cells. Here, we investigated the function of GSG2 as a tumor promoter in endometrial carcinoma and its relationship with the immunological microenvironment. We used immunohistochemistry to identify a correlation between the development and prognosis of GSG2 and endometrial cancer. Cell and animal experiments confirmed that GSG2 has a protumorigenic phenotype in endometrial cancer cell lines. Furthermore, using GeneChip analysis and a tumor-immune coculture model, we observed a link between GSG2 expression and the composition of the immune microenvironment. Therefore, we concluded that the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway by GSG2 may impact DNA repair, disrupt the cell cycle, and regulate the immune response, all of which could increase the ability of EC cells to proliferate malignantly. Consequently, it is anticipated that GSG2 will be a viable therapeutic target in endometrial carcinoma.

Involvement of FAM170B-AS1, hsa-miR-1202, and hsa-miR-146a-5p in breast cancer

BACKGROUND

FAM170B-AS1 is usually expressed low in all organs except for testicular tissues. No study was performed to explore its role in breast cancer (BC). Contradictory results were reported about hsa-miR-1202 and hsa-miR-146a-5p in BC.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to explore the involvement of FAM170B-AS1 in BC using bioinformatics predictive tools, followed by a practical validation besides exploring the impact of hsa-miR-1202 and hsa-miR-146a-5p in BC.

METHODS

This study enrolled 96 female patients with BC, 30 patients with benign breast diseases (BBD), and 25 control subjects. The expressions of circulating FAM170B-AS1, hsa-miR-1202, and hsa-miR-146a-5p were quantified using qRT-PCR. These ncRNAs' associations, predictive, and diagnostic roles in BC were statistically tested. The underlying miRNA/mRNA targets of FAM170B-AS1 in BC were bioinformatically predicted followed by confirmation based on the GEPIA and TCGA databases.

RESULTS

The expression of FAM170B-AS1 was upregulated in sera of BC patients and hsa-miR-1202 was upregulated in sera of BBD and BC patients while that of hsa-miR-146a-5p was downregulated in BC. These FAM170B-AS1 was significantly associated with BC when compared to BBD. FAM170B-AS1 and hsa-miR-1202 were statistically associated with the BC's stage, grade, and LN metastasis. FAM170B-AS1 and hsa-miR-146a-5p gave the highest specificity and sensitivity for BC. KRAS and EGFR were predicted to be targeted by FAM170B-AS1 through interaction with hsa-miR-143-3p and hsa-miR-7-5p, respectively. Based on the TCGA database, cancer patients having mutations in FAM170B show good overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study reported that for the first time, FAM170B-AS1 may be a potential risk factor, predictive, and diagnostic marker for BC. In addition, FAM170B-AS1 might be involved in BC by interacting with hsa-miR-143-3p/KRAS and hsa-miR-7-5p/EGFR through enhancement or repression that may present a new therapeutic option for BC.

Identification and Interaction Analysis of Molecular Markers in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Bioinformatics and Next-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Intense efforts have been made to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis, but the molecular mechanisms of PDAC are still not well understood. The purpose of this study is to further explore the molecular mechanism of PDAC through integrated bioinformatics analysis.

Methods

To identify the candidate genes in the carcinogenesis and progression of PDAC, next-generation sequencing (NGS) data set GSE133684 was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses were performed. The protein-protein interaction network (PPI) was constructed and the module analysis was performed using Integrated Interactions Database (IID) interactome database and Cytoscape. Subsequently, miRNA-DEG regulatory network and TF-DEG regulatory network were constructed using miRNet database, NetworkAnalyst database, and Cytoscape software. The expression levels of hub genes were validated based on Kaplan-Meier analysis, expression analysis, stage analysis, mutation analysis, protein expression analysis, immune infiltration analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

A total of 463 DEGs were identified, consisting of 232 upregulated genes and 233 downregulated genes. The enriched GO terms and pathways of the DEGs include vesicle organization, secretory vesicle, protein dimerization activity, lymphocyte activation, cell surface, transferase activity, transferring phosphorus-containing groups, hemostasis, and adaptive immune system. Four hub genes (namely, cathepsin B [CCNB1], four-and-a-half LIM domains 2 (FHL2), major histocompatibility complex, class II, DP alpha 1 (HLA-DPA1) and tubulin beta 1 class VI (TUBB1)) were obtained via taking interaction of different analysis results.

Conclusions

On the whole, the findings of this investigation enhance our understanding of the potential molecular mechanisms of PDAC and provide potential targets for further investigation.

Identification of Endometrial Cancer-Specific microRNA Biomarkers in Endometrial Fluid

Abnormal uterine bleeding is a common benign gynecological complaint and is also the most common symptom of endometrial cancer (EC). Although many microRNAs have been reported in endometrial carcinoma, most of them were identified from tumor tissues obtained at surgery or from cell lines cultured in laboratories. The objective of this study was to develop a method to detect EC-specific microRNA biomarkers from liquid biopsy samples to improve the early diagnosis of EC in women. Endometrial fluid samples were collected during patient-scheduled in-office visits or in the operating room prior to surgery using the same technique performed for saline infusion sonohysterography (SIS). The total RNA was extracted from the endometrial fluid specimens, followed by quantification, reverse transcription, and real-time PCR arrays. The study was conducted in two phases: exploratory phase I and validation phase II. In total, endometrial fluid samples from 82 patients were collected and processed, with 60 matched non-cancer versus endometrial carcinoma patients used in phase I and 22 in phase II. The 14 microRNA biomarkers, out of 84 miRNA candidates, with the greatest variation in expression from phase I, were selected to enter phase II validation and statistical analysis. Among them, three microRNAs had a consistent and substantial fold-change in upregulation (miR-429, miR-183-5p, and miR-146a-5p). Furthermore, four miRNAs (miR-378c, miR-4705, miR-1321, and miR-362-3p) were uniquely detected. This research elucidated the feasibility of the collection, quantification, and detection of miRNA from endometrial fluid with a minimally invasive procedure performed during a patient in-office visit. The screening of a larger set of clinical samples was necessary to validate these early detection biomarkers for endometrial cancer.

Long non-coding RNA NNT-AS1 positively regulates NPM1 expression to affect the proliferation of estrogen-mediated endometrial carcinoma by interacting

Objective: This study aims to investigate the mechanism of long non-coding RNA NNT-AS1 in the proliferation of estrogen-mediated endometrial carcinoma (EC). Materials and methods: NNT-AS1, miR-30c, and Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) expressions were measured by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay were used to detect the viability and proliferation of Ishikawa and HEC-1-A cells, respectively. RNA immunoprecipitation assay was used to confirm the interaction between NNT-AS1 and miR-30c. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the interaction between miR-30c and NPM1. Results: NNT-AS1 and NPM1 expressions in EC tissues and cell lines were higher than in benign endometrium and normal endometrial epithelial cells (EECs). miR-30c expression in EC tissues and cell lines was lower than in benign endometrium and normal EECs. NNT-AS1 interacted with miR-30c, and miR-30c negatively regulated NPM1 expression. Overexpression of NNT-AS1 increased NPM1 expression in EC cells, while overexpression of miR-30c reversed the effect. NNT-AS1 interference inhibited the mRNA level of NPM1, while the miR-30c inhibitor reversed the result. Estradiol (E2) promoted the proliferation of EC cells, small interfering RNA (siRNA) against NNT-AS1 inhibited EC cell proliferation, miR-30c inhibitor promoted cell proliferation, and NPM1 siRNA inhibited cell proliferation. E2 increased tumor volume, and NNT-AS1 interference reduced tumor volume in vivo. Conclusion: NNT-AS1 promoted the proliferation of estrogen-mediated EC by regulating miR-30c/NPM1.

The Role of miRNAs in the Regulation of Endometrial Cancer Invasiveness and Metastasis-A Systematic Review

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common genital cancer in women with increasing death rates. MiRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression on the post-transcriptional levels. Multiple studies demonstrated a fundamental role of miRNAs in the regulation of carcinogenesis. This systematic review is a comprehensive overview of the role of miRNAs in the regulation of cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis in EC. The literature was searched for studies investigating the role of miRNAs in the regulation of invasiveness and metastasis in EC. We explored PubMed, Embase, and Scopus using the following keywords: miRNA, metastasis, invasiveness, endometrial cancer. Data were collected from 163 articles that described the expression and role of 106 miRNAs in the regulation of EC invasiveness and metastasis out of which 63 were tumor suppressor miRNAs, and 38 were oncomiRNAs. Five miRNAs had a discordant role in different studies. Moreover, we identified 66 miRNAs whose expression in tumor tissue or concentration in serum correlated with at least one clinical parameter. These findings suggest a crucial role of miRNAs in the regulation of EC invasiveness and metastasis and present them as potential prognostic factors for patients with EC.

MicroRNA as Epigenetic Modifiers in Endometrial Cancer: A Systematic Review

Simple Summary

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the 2nd most common gynecologic cancer worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that contribute to epigenetic regulation. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize our current knowledge on the role of miRNAs in the epigenetic deregulation of tumor-related genes in EC. It includes all miRNAs reported to be involved in EC including their roles in DNA methylation and RNA-associated silencing. This systematic review should be useful for development of novel strategies to improve diagnosis and risk assessment as well as for new treatments aimed at miRNAs, their target genes or DNA methylation.

Abstract

The objective of this systematic review is to summarize our current knowledge on the influence of miRNAs in the epigenetic deregulation of tumor-related genes in endometrial cancer (EC). We conducted a literature search on the role of miRNAs in the epigenetic regulation of EC applying the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The following terms were used: microRNA, miRNA, miR, endometrial cancer, endometrium, epigenetic, epimutation, hypermethylation, lynch, deacetylase, DICER, novel biomarker, histone, chromatin. The miRNAs were classified and are presented according to their function (tumor suppressor or onco-miRNA), their targets (when known), their expression levels in EC tissue vs the normal surrounding tissue, and the degree of DNA methylation in miRNA loci and CpG sites. Data were collected from 201 articles, including 190 original articles, published between November 1, 2008 and September 30, 2020 identifying 313 different miRNAs implicated in epigenetic regulation of EC. Overall, we identified a total of 148 miRNAs with decreased expression in EC, 140 miRNAs with increased expression in EC, and 22 miRNAs with discordant expression levels. The literature implicated different epigenetic phenomena including altered miRNA expression levels (miR-182, -230), changes in the methylation of miRNA loci (miR-34b, -129-2, -130a/b, -152, -200b, -625) and increased/decreased methylation of target genes (miR-30d,-191). This work provides an overview of all miRNAs reported to be involved in epigenetic regulation in EC including DNA methylation and RNA-associated silencing. These findings may contribute to novel strategies in diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatments aimed at miRNAs, their target genes or DNA methylation.

The diagnostic and prognostic values of microRNA-196a in cancer

MicroRNA-196a (miR-196a) was previously reported to be up-regulated in cancers, and it has the diagnostic and prognostic values in cancers. Whereas, the conclusion was still unclear according to the published data. To assess such roles of miR-196a in cancers, the present study was conducted based on published data and online cancer-related databases. To identify the relevant published data, we searched articles in databases and then the relevant data were extracted to evaluate the correlation between miR-196a expression and diagnosis, prognosis for cancer patients. The pooled results showed that miR-196a was a valuable diagnostic biomarker in cancer (area under curve (AUC) = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.84–0.90; sensitivity (SEN) = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.64–0.81; specificity (SPE) = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81–0.95), which was consistent with the data from databases (breast cancer: miR-196a-3p: AUC = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.74–0.79; miR-196a-5p: AUC = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.66–0.75; pancreatic cancer: miR-196a-3p: AUC = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73–0.87; miR-196a-5p: AUC = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.51–0.71). In addition, the pooled result revealed that elevated miR-196a expression in tumor tissues (HR = 2.54, 95% CI: 1.79–3.61, P_{Heterogeneity}=0.000, I² = 75.8%) or serum/plasma (HR = 4.06, 95% CI: 2.67–6.18, P_{Heterogeneity}=0.668, I² = 0%) of patients was an unfavorable survival biomarker, which was consistent with the data from databases (adrenocortical carcinoma: HR = 5.70; esophageal carcinoma: HR = 1.93; brain lower grade glioma: HR = 2.91; GSE40267: HR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.2–5.07; TCGA: HR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.21–2.74; GSE19783: HR = 4.24, 95% CI: 1–18.06). In short, our results demonstrated that miR-196a in tumor tissue or serum/plasma could be used as a prognostic and diagnostic values for cancers.

Estrogen-regulated miRNA-27b is altered by bisphenol A in human endometrial stromal cells

MicroRNAs (miRs) are small molecules important for regulation of transcription and translation. The objective was to identify hormonally regulated miRs in human endometrial stromal cells and to determine the impact of the endocrine disruptor, bisphenol A (BPA), on those miRs. miR microarray analysis and multiple confirmatory cell preparations treated with 17β-estradiol (E2) and BPA altered miR-27b, let-7c, let-7e and miR-181b. Further, decidualization downregulated miR-27b. VEGFB and VEGFC were validated as targets of miR-27b. Identification of miR-27b target genes suggests that BPA and E2 downregulate miR-27b thereby leading to upregulation of genes important for vascularization and angiogenesis of the endometrium during the menstrual cycle and decidualization.

miR-101, miR-548b, miR-554, and miR-1202 are reliable prognosis predictors of the miRNAs associated with cancer immunity in primary central nervous system lymphoma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) inhibit protein function by silencing the translation of target mRNAs. However, in primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), the expression and functions of miRNAs are inadequately known. Here, we examined the expression of 847 miRNAs in 40 PCNSL patients with a microarray and investigated for the miRNA predictors associated with cancer immunity-related genes such as T helper cell type 1/2 (Th-1/Th-2) and regulatory T cell (T-reg) status, and stimulatory and inhibitory checkpoint genes, for prognosis prediction in PCNSL. The aim of this study is to find promising prognosis markers based on the miRNA expression in PCNSL. We detected 334 miRNAs related to 66 cancer immunity-related genes in the microarray profiling. Variable importance measured by the random survival forest analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model elucidated that 11 miRNAs successfully constitute the survival formulae dividing the Kaplan-Meier curve of the respective PCNSL subgroups. On the other hand, univariate analysis shortlisted 23 miRNAs for overall survival times, with four miRNAs clearly dividing the survival curves-miR-101/548b/554/1202. These miRNAs regulated Th-1/Th-2 status, T-reg cell status, and immune checkpoints. The miRNAs were also associated with gene ontology terms as Ras/MAP-kinase, ubiquitin ligase, PRC2 and acetylation, CDK, and phosphorylation, and several diseases including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, glioma, and those related to blood and hippocampus with statistical significance. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that the four miRNAs comprising miR-101/548b/554/1202 associated with cancer immunity can be a useful prognostic marker in PCNSL and would help us understand target pathways for PCNSL treatments.

Analysis of Promoter-Associated Chromatin Interactions Reveals Biologically Relevant Candidate Target Genes at Endometrial Cancer Risk Loci

The identification of target genes at genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci is a major obstacle for GWAS follow-up. To identify candidate target genes at the 16 known endometrial cancer GWAS risk loci, we performed HiChIP chromatin looping analysis of endometrial cell lines. To enrich for enhancer-promoter interactions, a mechanism through which GWAS variation may target genes, we captured chromatin loops associated with H3K27Ac histone, characteristic of promoters and enhancers. Analysis of HiChIP loops contacting promoters revealed enrichment for endometrial cancer GWAS heritability and intersection with endometrial cancer risk variation identified 103 HiChIP target genes at 13 risk loci. Expression of four HiChIP target genes (SNX11, SRP14, HOXB2 and BCL11A) was associated with risk variation, providing further evidence for their targeting. Network analysis functionally prioritized a set of proteins that interact with those encoded by HiChIP target genes, and this set was enriched for pan-cancer and endometrial cancer drivers. Lastly, HiChIP target genes and prioritized interacting proteins were over-represented in pathways related to endometrial cancer development. In summary, we have generated the first global chromatin looping data from normal and tumoral endometrial cells, enabling analysis of all known endometrial cancer risk loci and identifying biologically relevant candidate target genes.

The Use of microRNAs in the Management of Endometrial Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most important gynecological cancer in terms of incidence. microRNAs (miRs), which are post-transcriptional regulators implicated in a variety of cellular functions including carcinogenesis, are particularly attractive candidates as biomarkers. Indeed, several studies have shown that the miR expression pattern appears to be associated with prognostic factors in EC. Our objective is to review the current knowledge of the role of miRs in carcinogenesis and tumor progression and their association with the prognosis of endometrial cancer. Materials and Method: We performed a literature search for miR expression in EC using MEDLINE, PubMed (the Internet portal of the National Library of Medicine) and The Cochrane Library, Cochrane databases “Cochrane Reviews” and “Clinical Trials” using the following keywords: microRNA, endometrial cancer, prognosis, diagnosis, lymph node, survival, plasma, FFPE (formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded). The miRs were classified and presented according to their expression levels in cancer tissue in relation to different prognostic factors. Results: Data were collected from 74 original articles and 8 literature reviews which described the expression levels of 261 miRs in ECs, including 133 onco-miRs, 110 miR onco-suppressors, and 18 miRs with discordant functions. The review identified 30 articles studying the expression pattern of miR in neoplastic endometrial tissue compared to benign and/or hyperplastic tissues, 12 articles detailing the expression profile of miRs as a function of lymph node status, and 14 articles that detailed the expression pattern of miRs in endometrial tumor tissue according to overall survival or in the absence of recurrence. Conclusions: The findings presented here suggest that miR analysis merits a role as a prognostic factor in the management of patients with endometrial cancer.

Clinical value of combined detection of miR-1202 and miR-195 in early diagnosis of cervical cancer

The clinical value of the combined detection of miR-1202 and miR-195 in the early diagnosis of cervical cancer was studied. A retrospective analysis of 70 cervical cancer patients treated in the The Third Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University and Yunnan Cancer Hospital from October 2015 to December 2017 was performed, and the lesion tissues were used as the experimental group. Normal cervical tissues from another 67 healthy females confirmed by physical examination at the same period were selected as the control group. The FIGO staging criteria were used for staging of the cervical cancer patients, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method was used for the detection of the expression of miR-1202 and miR-195 in different tissues, and the receiver operating curve (ROC) was used for the analysis of the application values of miR-1202 and miR-195 diagnosis alone and their combined diagnosis in early cervical cancer patients. The levels of miR-1202 and miR-195 in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The differences were significant in the different stages of cervical cancer tissues (P<0.05). The later the staging of cervical cancer tissues were, the lower the levels of miR-1202 and miR-195 were. The sensitivities and area under the curve (AUC) values of miR-1202 and miR-195 in the combined diagnosis of early cervical cancer were significantly higher than those of miR-1202 and miR-195 alone. The expression levels of miR-1202 and miR-195 in the cervical cancer patients are different in different stages. Guiding clinical treatment and prognosis according to the results of combined detection is beneficial for the development of treatment for cervical cancer patients and for prognostic judgement, worthy of popularization and application.

Modeling Endometrial Cancer: Past, Present, and Future

Endometrial cancer is the most common type of cancer of the female reproductive tract. Although prognosis is generally good for patients with low-grade and early-stage diseases, the outcomes for high-grade and metastatic/recurrent cases remain poor, since traditional chemotherapy regimens based on platinum and taxanes have limited effects. No targeted agents have been approved so far, although several new drugs have been tested without striking results in clinical trials. Over the last decades, many efforts have been made towards the establishment and development of preclinical models, aiming at recapitulating the structural and molecular determinants of the disease. Here, we present an overview of the most commonly used in vitro and in vivo models and discuss their peculiar features, describing their main applications and the value in the advancement of both fundamental and translational endometrial cancer research.

MiR-1202 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma cells migration and invasion by targeting cyclin dependent kinase 14

Currently, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients still have poor survival outcomes mainly due to the powerful mobility of HCC cells. Increasing evidences hint that abnormally expressed miRNAs are capable to modulate HCC cells invasion and migration. MiR-1202 has been proposed as a ponderable molecular tumor marker in a variety of tumors. Here, results from real-time PCR indicated the decreased expression of miR-1202 in HCC. Clinically, statistical analysis showed that miR-1202 under-expression was closely associated with metastasis-related clinicopathologic characteristics. In addition, 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates of HCC patients with high miR-1202 expression were much better than that in low miR-1202 group. Functionally, gain- and loss-of -function studies were performed to investigate the roles of miR-1202. Intriguingly, Would healing assay and Transwell assays indicated that elevated miR-1202 weakened HCC cells migration and invasion abilities, while miR-1202 knockdown presented the contrary effects. Furthermore, cyclin dependent kinase 14 (CDK14) was identified as a downstream target of miR-1202 by bioinformatics analysis, Dual luciferase reporter assay, detection of CDK14 expression and Pearson correlation analysis. More importantly, rescue experiments demonstrated that CDK14 mediated miR-1202 to exert its anti-tumor effects, which further confirmed the above finding. Taken together, miR-1202 may act as a new biomarker and potential therapeutic target for HCC.