Ectopic Expression of MiR-125a Inhibits the Proliferation and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Targeting MMP11 and VEGF

Studies have been shown that miR-125a plays an important role in carcinogenesis, however, the role of miR-125a in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains elusive.. Predicted target genes of miR-125a were determined by dual-luciferase reporting, qRT-PCR, and western blot (WB) analyses. Then immunohistochemical staining (IHC) was used to detect the expression of target genes, and the correlations and prognostic values of miR-125a and its target genes were also investigated.. Furthermore, miR-125a expression was inversely correlated with both MMP11 and VEGF-A expression in HCC tissues. Inhibiting miR-125a could increase both MMP11 and VEGF-A expression, and RNA interference targeting MMP11 or VEGF-A mRNA could rescue the loss of miR-125a functions. MiR-125a inhibits the proliferation and metastasis of HCC by targeting MMP11 and VEGF-A. Up-regulation of miR-125a might be a promising approach and a prognostic marker for HCC