TY  - EJOU
AU  - Lou, Kexin 
AU  - Chen, Ning 
AU  - Li, Zhihong 
AU  - Zhang, Bei 
AU  - Wang, Xiuli 
AU  - Chen, Ye 
AU  - Xu, Haining 
AU  - Wang, Dongwei 
AU  - Wang, Hao 

TI  - MicroRNA-142-5p Overexpression Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces  Apoptosis by Regulating FOXO in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
T2  - Oncology Research

PY  - 2017
VL  - 25
IS  - 1
SN  - 1555-3906

AB  - Abnormal expression of microRNA (miR)-142-5p has been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 
However, little information is available regarding the functional role of miR-142-5p in HCC. We aimed to 
explore the effects of miR-142-5p aberrant expression on HCC cell growth and cell apoptosis, as well as the 
underlying mechanism. Human HCC cell lines HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells were transfected with miR-
142-5p mimic, inhibitor, or a corresponding negative control. Cell viability, cell cycle distribution, and cell 
apoptosis were then analyzed. In addition, protein expression of Forkhead box, class O (FOXO) 1 and 3, a 
Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death (Bim), procaspase 3, and activated caspase 3 was measured. After 
transfection with miR-142-5p inhibitor, FOXO1 and FOXO3 were overexpressed, and then the cell viability 
and cell apoptosis were determined again. The relative cell viability in both HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells 
was significantly reduced by miR-142-5p overexpression (<i>p</i> < 0.05). miR-142-5p overexpression displayed 
a significant blockage at the G<sub>1</sub>/S transition and significantly increased the percentages of G<sub>0</sub>/G<sub>1</sub> phase. 
Moreover, the results showed that miR-142-5p overexpression significantly induced cell apoptosis and statistically elevated the protein expression levels of FOXO1, FOXO3, Bim, procaspase 3, and activated caspase 3. However, the cells transfected with miR-142-5p inhibitor showed contrary results. Additionally, the 
effects of miR-142-5p inhibitor on cell viability and apoptosis were reversed by overexpression of FOXO. In 
conclusion, our results suggest that miR-142-5p overexpression shows an important protective role in HCC 
by inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis. These effects might be by regulating FOXO expression in 
HCC cells.
KW  - MicroRNA-142-5p; Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); Cell growth; Cell apoptosis;  Forkhead box
KW  -  class O (FOXO)

DO  - 10.3727/096504016X14719078133366