Piwi like RNA-mediated gene silencing 1 (Hiwi) is a human homolog of the Piwi gene family that has been reported to be upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aimed to investigate the role of Hiwi in the initiation and development of HCC in vitro and in vivo. Adenovirus-mediated Hiwi overexpression was established in primary murine hepatocytes and SMMC7721 HCC cells. Cell viability and proliferation were assessed using MTT and EdU assays, respectively. Cell migration was measured using a scratch migration assay. The cell cycle was assessed using flow cytometry, and the expression of genes associated with the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) was assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. SMMC7721 cells that stably express Hiwi were also generated and injected subcutaneously into the nude mice, and tumor growth was examined. Recombinant adenovirus encoding green fluorescent protein or Hiwi was delivered by injection into the tail vein, and its effect on murine hepatocyte gene expression was studied. The present study revealed that the overexpression of Hiwi did not affect the proliferation or migration of liver cancer cells and failed to suppress perifosine- or doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in vitro. The tumors of mice that were injected with Hiwi-expressing SMMC7721 cells were not significantly larger compared with mice that were injected with control SMMC7721 cells. Hiwi overexpression did not noticeably alter the expression of genes involved in EMT, either in vitro or in vivo. The results of the present study indicate that although expression of Hiwi is associated with HCC development and progression in the clinic, it does not act as an oncogene in liver cancer cells.
Keywords: Hiwi; apoptosis; hepatocellular carcinoma; proliferation.