Influence of miR-101 on proliferation of liver cancer cells through the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway

The expression of miR-101 in carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues of patients with liver cancer was studied. The carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues of 67 patients with liver cancer treated in Chinese PLA General Hospital were collected, and the expression of miR-101 in carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues was detected via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The liver cancer HepG2 cell line was transfected with miR-101 mimics. Moreover, the influence of miR-101 overexpression on the proliferation of liver cancer cells was detected via Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and colony formation assay. The proportion of Ki67-positive cells in the control group (NC group) and miR-101 overexpression group (miR-101 mimics group) was detected via Ki67 staining. The proportions of cells were detected via flow cytometry, and the predicted target gene Zeste2 enhancer (EZH2) was further verified via luciferase reporter gene assay and western blotting. The miR-101 overexpression significantly inhibited the colony formation and proliferation ability of liver cancer cells (P<0.05). The proportion of Ki67-positive cells in liver cancer cells was lower in miR-101 mimics group (P<0.05). The proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase was increased in miR-101 mimics group compared with that in NC group (P<0.05). The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation level in liver cancer cells was obviously suppressed in miR-101 mimics group (P<0.05). Therefore, the expression level of miR-101 declines in liver cancer tissues, and the miR-101 overexpression can inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells. The inhibitory effect of miR-101 on the proliferation of liver cancer cells may be related to its inhibition on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/ERK signaling pathway, and the inhibition on the MAPK/ERK may be mediated by the targeted inhibition of miR-101 on EZH2.