Expression and clinicopathological significance of miR-146a in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues

MINHUA  RONG; RONGQUAN  HE; YIWU  DANG; GANG  CHEN

doi:10.3109/03009734.2013.856970

MINHUA RONG Research Department, Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, 71 Hedi Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530021, P. R. China
RONGQUAN HE Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530021, P. R. China
YIWU DANG Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530021, P. R. China
GANG CHEN Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region 530021, P. R. China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/03009734.2013.856970

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, metastasis, miR-146a, oncogenes, paraffin-embedded tissues, pathology, RT-qPCR, tumor biology

Abstract

Background. Aberrant expression of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) has been found in several classes of cancers. However, its expression and clinicopathological contribution in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been fully elucidated.

Objective. To explore the clinicopathological significance of the miR-146a level in HCC formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue.

Methods. Eighty-five HCC samples and their para-cancerous normal liver tissues were collected. Total mRNA including miRNA was extracted, and miR-146a expression was determined using real-time RT-PCR. Furthermore, the correlation between the miR-146a expression and clinicopathological parameters was investigated.

Results. MicroRNA-146a expression in HCC tissues was lower compared with that in adjacent non-cancerous hepatic tissues. MicroRNA-146a expression was also related to clinical TNM stage, metastasis, portal vein tumor embolus, and number of tumor nodes.

Conclusions. Down-regulation of miR-146a is related to HCC carcinogenesis and deterioration of HCC. MicroRNA-146a may act as a suppressor miRNA of HCC, and it is therefore a potential prognostic biomarker for HCC patients.

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