miRNA-548p suppresses hepatitis B virus X protein associated hepatocellular carcinoma by downregulating oncoprotein hepatitis B x-interacting protein.

Abstract

AIM:

miR-548p is a recently identified and poorly characterized miRNA. However, its role of miR-548p in tumorigenesis and progression remains poorly understood. Here, we aimed to investigate the biofunction of miR-548p in hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

METHODS:

The expression levels of miR-548p were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The role of miR-548p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was determined by colony formation, flow cytometry assay and nude mice xenograft experiments. miR-548p target genes were analyzed by miRNA target predication programs and verified by qRT-PCR, western blotting assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS:

miR-548p is repressed by hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) in HCC tumor tissues and hepatoma cells, and inhibited cell growth by inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis. miR-548p directly downregulated the expression of hepatitis B x-interacting protein (HBXIP) by binding to the 3'-untranslated region of HBXIP mRNA. Further study showed that hepatocyte nuclear factor-4a (HNF4A) promoted the expression of miR-548p and inhibited the transcription of HBXIP. HNF4A is a dominant transcriptional regulator of hepatocyte differentiation and hepatocellular carcinogenesis, and is shown to be repressed by HBx.

CONCLUSION:

We proposed the model for HBx/HNF4A/miR-548p/HBXIP pathway that controls hepatoma cell growth and tumorigenesis of HCC. miR-548p was identified as a tumor-suppressor in HBx-associated hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

• Authors: Xiu-Mei Hu, Xiao-Hui Yan, Yan-Wei Hu, Jin-Lan Huang, Shun-Wang Cao, Ting-Yu Ren, Yue-Ting Tang, Li Lin, Lei Zheng, Qian Wang
• Journal: Hepatology research : the official journal of the Japan Society of Hepatology (Hepatol Res) Vol. 46 Issue 8 Pg. 804-15 (Jul 2016) ISSN: 1386-6346 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 26583881 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2015 The Japan Society of Hepatology.