miR-517a promotes Warburg effect in HCC by directly targeting FBP1

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most aggressive malignancies worldwide. Our aim is to explore the expression and biological function of miR-517a in HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed qRT-PCR to detect the expression of miR-517a in clinical samples and cell lines. CKK-8 assay and colony formation assay were employed to detect the miR-517a regulated cell proliferation. Glucose uptake and lactate production were examined to determine the Warburg effect. We also performed ECAR assay using Seahorse system. Luciferase acitivy assay was used to examine the binding of FBP1 3′UTR by miR-517a. RESULTS: miR-517a was upregulated in HCC samples in both genomic and mRNA levels. Moreover, overexpression of miR-517a promoted cell proliferation and Warburg effect. Mechanically, miR-517a could directly target the 3′-UTR of FBP1. In addition, restoring the expression of FBP1 inhibited cell growth. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that miR-517a acts as an oncogene to promote Warburg effect in HCC, favoring tumor growth, and miR-517a/FBP1 could be a novel target for HCC treatment.