miR-222 enhances hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation, migration, and anti-apoptosis via targeting PTEN

Increasing evidence indicates that miRNAs affect the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).The target genes and binding sites of miR-222 were predicted by TargetScan website.RT-PCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR-222 and Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in HCC tissues and HCC cell lines (HCC-LM3, SMCC7721, and HepG2).CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, scratch test, and Transwell test were used to detect the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion capabilities of HCC cells following miR-222 modulation, respectively.Western blotting was performed to analyze the effect of miR-222 inhibitor on the expression of PTEN, Bcl-2, and Bax.The results showed that miR-222 expression was significantly up-regulated, while PTEN expression was significantly down-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines.miR-222 inhibitor significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HepG2 cells and promoted the apoptosis of HepG2 cells and the expression of PTEN.In addition, miR-222 expression was negatively correlated with PTEN, and HCC patients with high miR-222 expression and low PTEN expression were significantly associated with larger tumor size, well/moderate histological differentiation, and metastasis.These results suggest that miR-222 inhibitor exerts an anticancer effect on HCC cells, possibly by targeting the target gene PTEN, and provide a theoretical basis for potential new therapeutic targets for HCC.