MiR-221 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Migration via Targeting PHF2

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs), which regulate the gene expression leading to translational inhibition or mRNA degradation, are involved in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Previous studies have demonstrated that miR-221 was one of the most consistent overexpressed miRNAs in several types of cancer. However, the role of miR-221 in human liver cancer progression is not yet fully elucidated. Levels of miR-221 and plant homeodomain finger 2 (PHF2) expressions in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and cell lines were detected using western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell migration was studied using the transwell assays. A dual-luciferase reporter system was used to validate the target gene of miR-221. The results indicated that miR-221 promoted HCC cell migration. By performing subsequent systematic bioinformatic analyses, we found PHF2 was the target gene of miR-221 and the direct binding relationship was further validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay. In addition, lower expression of PHF2 promoted HCC cell migration and linked to worse overall survival in HCC patients. Finally, the negative correlation between miR-221 and PHF2 expression levels in HCC specimens was further confirmed. Taken together, our findings implied that miR-221 could be a potential candidate for the therapeutics of HCC metastasis.