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Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Seven Steps to Stellate Cells
Published on: May 10, 2011
Long noncoding RNA HOTTIP mediates SRF expression through sponging miR-150 in hepatic stellate cells
Jianjian Zheng1, Yuqing Mao2, Peihong Dong3
1Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Hepato-Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
Abstract:
HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) has been shown to be up-regulated in a variety of cancers and is identified as an oncogenic long noncoding RNA. However, the biological role of HOTTIP in liver fibrosis is unclear. Here, we reported that HOTTIP was specifically overexpressed in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). HOTTIP knockdown suppressed the activation and proliferation of HSCs. Luciferase reporter assay showed that HOTTIP and serum response factor (SRF) were targets of miR-150. RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation assay indicated the interaction between miR-150 and HOTTIP. Further study revealed that HOTTIP increased SRF expression as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-150, thus prompting HSC activation. Taken together, we provide a novel HOTTIP-miR-150-SRF signalling cascade in liver fibrosis.
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