Altered microRNA expression profile in hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal cancers, accounting for about 600,000 cancer deaths worldwide. Despite aggressive chemotherapy, the 5-year survival rate is less than 30% in the United States. This underscores the need for a better understanding of the molecular and cellular disease features. Many studies have demonstrated that aberrant regulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression plays a critical role in the development of various types of cancers including HCC. Here we analyzed the miRNA expression profile of HCC cases associated with chronic hepatitis B virus infection, one of the major etiologies of HCC. Our study identified 267 miRNAs that were differentially regulated in HCC specimens compared to adjacent normal tissues. We next analyzed putative target genes and the relevant signaling pathways that are regulated by these miRNAs. Our findings support the notion that dysfunction of miRNAs is linked to HCC pathogenesis and may lead to the identification of novel targets for diagnosing and treating HCC.