miR-206 inhibits liver cancer stem cell expansion by regulating EGFR expression

Liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) are involved in tumorigenesis, progression, drug resistance and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanism for the propagation of liver cancer stem cells was unclear. Herein, we observed miR-206 expression was reduced in both chemoresistant HCCs and recurrent HCCs from patients. A dramatically decrease of miR-206 was detected in cluster of differentiation 133 (CD133) or epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-positive liver CSCs and in CSC-enriched hepatoma spheres. Functional studies revealed that a forced expression of miR-206 inhibited liver CSCs expansion by suppressing the dedifferentiation of hepatoma cells and attenuating the self-renewal of liver CSCs. Mechanistically, bioinformatic and luciferase reporter analysis identified epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a direct target of miR-206. Moreover, miR-206 downregulated the expression of EGFR in liver CSCs. There was a significant inverse correlation between miR-206 and EGFR mRNA expression in HCC samples. Special EGFR inhibitor Gefitinib abolished the discrepancy in liver CSC proportion and the self-renewal capacity between miR-206 overexpression hepatoma cells and control cells, which further confirmed that EGFR was required in miR-206-inhibited liver CSCs expansion. Conclusion: miR-206 could suppress HCC cell dedifferentiation and liver CSCs expansion by targeting EGFR signaling.