miR-101 inhibits autophagy and enhances cisplatin-induced apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Oncol Rep. 2013 May;29(5):2019-24. doi: 10.3892/or.2013.2338. Epub 2013 Mar 7.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks third in cancer-related mortality due to late diagnosis and poor treatment options. Autophagy is a lysosome-mediated protein and organelle degradation process which is characterized by the formation of double-membrane vesicles, known as autophagosomes. Increasing evidence reveals that autophagy functions as a survival mechanism in liver cancer cells against drug-induced apoptosis. In this study, we found that autophagy was suppressed by miR-101 in the HCC cell line HepG2. miR-101 inhibited autophagy via targets including RAB5A, STMN1 and ATG4D. Moreover, miR-101 enhanced apoptosis induced by cisplatin in the HepG2 cell line. The possible mechanism of this effect may be through inhibition of autophagy. Our results indicate a novel and critical role for miR-101 and autophagy in the chemoresistance of cisplatin in HCC. We propose that gene therapy targeting miR-101/autophagy should be investigated further as a potential alternative therapeutic strategy for HCC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / genetics*
  • Autophagy / drug effects
  • Autophagy / genetics*
  • Autophagy-Related Proteins
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cisplatin / pharmacology*
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / genetics
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Stathmin / genetics
  • Stathmin / metabolism
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Autophagy-Related Proteins
  • MIRN101 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • STMN1 protein, human
  • Stathmin
  • MTOR protein, human
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • ATG4D protein, human
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • rab5 GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Cisplatin