MiR-466 Inhibits the Progression of Severe Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Regulating FMNL2-Mediated Activation of NF-κB and Wnt/β-Catenin Pathways

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has threatened the health of humans, and some evidence has indicated that miR-466 involves the progressions of some cancers. This study focused on the role of miR-466 in the formation and development of HCC. The expression levels of miR-466 in the tissues of patients and HCC cell lines were measured by qRT-PCR, and CCK-8, transwell assay, and flow cytometry assay were used to observe the functions of miR-466 on the HCC cells. Moreover, the miRNA databases, dual-luciferase reporter assay, and Western blot were used for the investigation of the regulation mechanism of miR-466 on HCC cells. The results showed that miR-466 was significantly downregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines, and inhibited proliferation, invasion, and high apoptosis were found in HCC cells when miR-466 was overexpressed. The results confirmed that FMNL2 was a target of miR-466, and increased FMNL2 could reverse the effects of miR-466 on the phenotype of HCC cells. Besides, it was also found that miR-466 was involved in the regulation of NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin pathways in HCC cells via targeting FMNL2. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that miR-466 regulates the activities of NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin pathways to inhibit the progression of HCC cells via targeting FMNL2.