MiR-525-3p enhances the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells by downregulating ZNF395

PLoS One. 2014 Mar 5;9(3):e90867. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0090867. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Liver cancer is one of leading causes of cancer-related deaths. A deeper mechanistic understanding of liver cancer could lead to the development of more effective therapeutic strategies. In our previous work, we screened 646 miRNAs and identified 11 that regulate liver cancer cell migration. The current study shows that miR-525-3p is frequently up-regulated in liver cancer tissues, and enhanced expression of miR-525-3p can promote liver cancer cell migration and invasion. Zinc finger protein 395 (ZNF395) is the direct functional target gene for miR-525-3p, and it is frequently down-regulated in liver cancer tissues. High expression of ZNF395 can significantly inhibit while knockdown of ZNF395 expression can markedly enhance the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells, suggesting that ZNF395 suppresses metastasis in liver cancer. Down-regulation of ZNF395 can mediate miR-525-3p induced liver cancer cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, miR-525-3p promotes liver cancer cell migration and invasion by directly targeting ZNF395, and the fact that miR-525-3p and ZNF395 both play important roles in liver cancer progression makes them potential therapeutic targets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Down-Regulation / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Up-Regulation / genetics

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • MIRN525 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Transcription Factors
  • ZNF395 protein, human

Grants and funding

This work was partially supported by grants from The National 973 Key Basic Research Program (2013CB910504), Shanghai Health Bureau (XYQ2011047,XBR2011039) and The State Key Project for Liver Cancer (2012ZX10002-009013). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.