MicroRNA-199: A Potential Therapeutic Tool for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in an Experimental Model

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the major health problems throughout the world with a very poor prognosis. MicroRNAs are small regulatory non-protein-coding RNA molecules. We aimed at investigating microRNA-199 as a potential therapeutic tool for HCC both in vitro and in an experimental model. A therapeutic strategy based on the effect of microRNAs to target genes responsible for liver cancer was adopted in this work. The ability of these small RNAs to potently influence cellular behavior was also investigated. The role of miR-199a in the development of liver cancer has been identified using a systematic literature search using miRBase. HepG2 cell line was used to test the effect of miRNA199a in vitro. Hepatocellular carcinoma was induced in Male Balb/C mice by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). Mice were treated with miRNA-199a and sacrificed after 16 weeks and blood samples and liver specimens were collected for biochemical and histopathological assessment. Histopathological examination of liver specimens after miRNA 199a treatment showed regression of Hepatocellular carcinoma with restoration of normal architecture. AFP, VEGF and TNFα levels decreased after treatment with miRNA 199a. Caspase 3 and 9; showed decreased expression in animals treated with miRNA 199a than non-treated ones.