<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Background. Since the introduction of the theory of tumour stem cells (TSCs), the liver cancer stem cell (LCSC)-like cells have become one of the focuses in the research on liver cancer.Materials and methods. In this study, CD90+ cells were applied as the possible LCSC-like cells, and the miRNA and gene expression were analyzed in the CD90+ HepG2 cells. The pilot study showed miR-548c-5p exerted potential effect on the CD90+ HepG2 cells and was thereafter applied for the further study. CD90+ HepG2 cells were assigned to miR-548c-5p mimic transfection group and control group. MTT assay was performed to detect the proliferation of CD90+ HepG2 cells. The migration and invasion abilities were examined by wound healing assay and transwell migration assay, respectively. A detection of apoptosis was performed by fluorescence microscopy.<bold>Results.</bold> Our results showed that <italic>caspase-3</italic> and <italic>bcl-2</italic> were down-regulated while <italic>caspase-8</italic> was up-regulated in the CD90+ HepG2 cells. Moreover, the miR-548c-5p transfection could down-regulate the expression of <italic>β-catenin, Tg737, bcl-2, bcl-XL</italic>, and <italic>caspase-3</italic>, inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion and promote the apoptosis of the CD90+ HepG2 cells.<bold>Conclusions.</bold> Our findings indicate the imbalance between apoptosis and anti-apoptosis in the LCSC-like cells, which influence the biological features of LCSC-like cells. miRNA plays a regulatory role in the LCSC-like cells among which miR-548c-5p might be a suppressor.</abstract>

Background. Since the introduction of the theory of tumour stem cells (TSCs), the liver cancer stem cell (LCSC)-like cells have become one of the focuses in the research on liver cancer.Materials and methods. In this study, CD90+ cells were applied as the possible LCSC-like cells, and the miRNA and gene expression were analyzed in the CD90+ HepG2 cells. The pilot study showed miR-548c-5p exerted potential effect on the CD90+ HepG2 cells and was thereafter applied for the further study. CD90+ HepG2 cells were assigned to miR-548c-5p mimic transfection group and control group. MTT assay was performed to detect the proliferation of CD90+ HepG2 cells. The migration and invasion abilities were examined by wound healing assay and transwell migration assay, respectively. A detection of apoptosis was performed by fluorescence microscopy.Results. Our results showed that caspase-3 and bcl-2 were down-regulated while caspase-8 was up-regulated in the CD90+ HepG2 cells. Moreover, the miR-548c-5p transfection could down-regulate the expression of β-catenin, Tg737, bcl-2, bcl-XL, and caspase-3, inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion and promote the apoptosis of the CD90+ HepG2 cells.Conclusions. Our findings indicate the imbalance between apoptosis and anti-apoptosis in the LCSC-like cells, which influence the biological features of LCSC-like cells. miRNA plays a regulatory role in the LCSC-like cells among which miR-548c-5p might be a suppressor.

miR-548c-5p inhibits proliferation and migration and promotes apoptosis in CD90+ HepG2 cells

Department of Laboratory Centre, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai. China

5th Department of Liver Surgery, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China

Radiology and Oncology

miR-548c-5p inhibits proliferation and migration and promotes apoptosis in CD90 HepG2 cells

Background. Since the introduction of the theory of tumour stem cells (TSCs), the liver cancer stem cell (LCSC)-like cells have become one of the focuses in...

miR-548c-5p inhibits proliferation and migration and promotes apoptosis in CD90⁺ HepG2 cells

Published Online: Apr 11, 2012

Page range: 233 - 241

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10019-012-0025-z

Keywords
liver cancer stem cells, miR-548c-5p, apoptosis, NF-kB,

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