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Journal of Hematology & Oncology
Published in: Journal of Hematology & Oncology 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research

MicroRNA-26a suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human hepatocellular carcinoma by repressing enhancer of zeste homolog 2

Authors: De-Ning Ma, Zong-Tao Chai, Xiao-Dong Zhu, Ning Zhang, Di-Hua Zhan, Bo-Gen Ye, Cheng-Hao Wang, Cheng-Dong Qin, Yi-Ming Zhao, Wei-Ping Zhu, Man-Qing Cao, Dong-Mei Gao, Hui-Chuan Sun, Zhao-You Tang

Published in: Journal of Hematology & Oncology | Issue 1/2016

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Abstract

Background

Our previous study reported that microRNA-26a (miR-26a) inhibited tumor progression by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and intratumoral macrophage infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The direct roles of miR-26a on tumor cell invasion remain poorly understood. In this study, we aim to explore the mechanism of miR-26a in modulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HCC.

Methods

In vitro cell morphology and cell migration were compared between the hepatoma cell lines HCCLM3 and HepG2, which were established in the previous study. Overexpression and down-regulation of miR-26a were induced in these cell lines, and Western blot and immunofluorescence assays were used to detect the expression of EMT markers. Xenograft nude mouse models were used to observe tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis. Immunohistochemical assays were conducted to study the relationships between miR-26a expression and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and E-cadherin expression in human HCC samples.

Results

Down-regulation of miR-26a in HCCLM3 and HepG2 cells resulted in an EMT-like cell morphology and high motility in vitro and increased in tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis in vivo. Through down-regulation of EZH2 expression and up-regulation of E-cadherin expression, miR-26a inhibited the EMT process in vitro and in vivo. Luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-26a directly interacted with EZH2 messenger RNA (mRNA). Furthermore, the expression of miR-26a was positively correlated with E-cadherin expression and inversely correlated with EZH2 expression in human HCC tissue.

Conclusions

miR-26a inhibited the EMT process in HCC by down-regulating EZH2 expression.
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Metadata
Title
MicroRNA-26a suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human hepatocellular carcinoma by repressing enhancer of zeste homolog 2
Authors
De-Ning Ma
Zong-Tao Chai
Xiao-Dong Zhu
Ning Zhang
Di-Hua Zhan
Bo-Gen Ye
Cheng-Hao Wang
Cheng-Dong Qin
Yi-Ming Zhao
Wei-Ping Zhu
Man-Qing Cao
Dong-Mei Gao
Hui-Chuan Sun
Zhao-You Tang
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Hematology & Oncology / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1756-8722
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13045-015-0229-y

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