Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and accounts for over 90% of all primary liver cancers. Increasing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) mediate signaling pathways by gene expression regulation.
Methods: In this study, we evaluated the role of miR-29a-3p in HCC progression. MiR-29a-3p was found significantly down-regulated in HCC tissues compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues. Meantime, PTEN expression was up-regulated in HCC tissues. Moreover, NF-κB activity was decreased following PTEN up-regulation.
Results: In vitro assays in the HCC cell line BEL7402 demonstrated that miR-29a-3p suppresses cell proliferation.
Conclusions: miR-29a-3p participates in the HCC progression by regulation of NF-κB pathway via targeting PTEN.