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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

Analysis of Global RNA Synthesis at the Single Cell Level following Hypoxia
Published on: May 13, 2014
Exploring the underlying molecular mechanism of liver cancer cells under hypoxia based on RNA sequencing
Xin Zhao1, Wenpeng Liu1, Baowang Liu1
1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University, No.139 Ziqiang Road, Shijiazhuang City, 050051, Hebei Province, China.
Background:
The aim of our study was to use the differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) to illustrate the underlying mechanism of hypoxia in liver cancer.
Methods:
In this study, a cell model of hypoxia was established, and autophagy activity was measured with western blotting and transmission electron microscopy. The effect of hypoxia conditions on the invasion of liver cancer cell was evaluated. RNA sequencing was used to identify DEmRNAs and DEmiRNAs to explore the mechanism of hypoxia in liver cancer cells.
Results:
We found that autophagy activation was triggered by hypoxia stress and hypoxia might promote liver cancer cell invasion. In addition, a total of 407 shared DEmRNAs and 57 shared DEmiRNAs were identified in both HCCLM3 hypoxia group and SMMC-7721 hypoxia group compared with control group. Furthermore, 278 DEmRNAs and 24 DEmiRNAs were identified as cancer hypoxia-specific DEmRNAs and DEmiRNAs. Finally, we obtained 19 DEmiRNAs with high degree based on the DEmiRNA-DEmRNA interaction network. Among them, hsa-miR-483-5p, hsa-miR-4739, hsa-miR-214-3p and hsa-miR-296-5p may be potential gene signatures related to liver cancer hypoxia.
Conclusions:
Our study may help to understand the potential molecular mechanism of hypoxia in liver cancer.
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