miR-378a-5p improved the prognosis and suppressed the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting the VEGF pathway

BACKGROUND: The malignant tumor hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis and ineffective therapeutic options. miR-378a-5p is a micro-ribonucleic acid (miRNA) that is overexpressed in many cancers. However, its role in the progression of human HCC is unclear. METHODS: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to measure miR-378a-5p levels in tissues from patients with HCC and from HCC cell lines. Following transfection, flow cytometry and cell viability assays were used to measure cell proliferation. HCC cell invasive and migration capacities were assessed using Transwell assays. Western blots were performed with HCC cells to identify the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). RESULTS: The HCC tissues and cells had significantly reduced miR-378a-5p expression compared with normal liver tissues and cells, while miR-378a-5p mimics suppressed the colony formation, viability, migration and invasive capacity of HCC cells. The HCC tissues and cell lines had upregulated VEGF expression. In HCC cells, miR-378a-5p expression was negatively correlated with VEGF expression, and miR-378a-5p targeted VEGF in HCC cells. CONCLUSIONS: miR-378a-5p improved the HCC prognosis and suppressed HCC progression by targeting the VEGF pathway.