Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the role of miR-423-5p in the pathogenesis of liver cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma cells were transfected with miR-423-5p mimics or miR-423-5p inhibitors, respectively. In this paper, the effect of miR-423-5p on the proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells was identified. Detection of miR-423-5p and genes associated with retinoid-interferon-induced mortality-19 messenger ribonucleic acid by Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We verified the relationship of miR-423-5p with genes associated with retinoid-interferon-induced mortality-19 using double luciferase assay. The outcomes indicated that the expression of miR-423- 5p was up-regulated in human hepatoma tissues and cells. Moreover, reducing miR-423-5p can inhibit the proliferation and migration ability of hepatoma cells. Mechanistically, the experimental data proves that genes associated with retinoid-interferon-induced mortality-19 are the direct target of miR-423-5p in hepatoma cells. At the same time, rescue experiments verified that over-expression of genes associated with retinoid-interferon-induced mortality-19 may counteract the ability of miR-423-5p to enhance the proliferation and metastasis of hepatoma. Further, the outcomes showed an abnormal down-regulation of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, which was reversed by the reduction of miR-423-5p. It is suggested that miR-423-5p may enhance the proliferation and metastasis of hepatoma cells by targeting genes associated with retinoid-interferon-induced mortality-19.