Identification of Novel Hepatic Target Genes of miR-192-5p

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a prevalent and deadly cancer worldwide, characterized by poor prognosis, multiple therapeutic challenges, and considerable heterogeneity among patients with diverse etiologies. This heterogeneity contributes to resistance to chemotherapies and molecularly targeted agents, posing a major therapeutic challenge. Therefore, there is an increasing need for treatment strategies targeting HCC across various biological processes. miR-192-5p has been reported to function as a tumor suppressor in HCC, but its target genes remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to identify novel target genes of miR-192-5p in HCC using RNA sequencing and 3'-untranslated region analysis. As a result, eight genes-EFEMP1, DLG5, PPP1CA, FAM234B, RPL4, SEC23B, ELOVL1, and CBFB-were identified as novel target genes of miR-192-5p, all of which were significantly upregulated in HCC tissues. Notably, three genes-CBFB, SEC23B, and RPL4-were also validated as novel targets of miR-194-5p, which clusters with miR-192-5p. These findings suggest that miR-192-5p exerts its tumor-suppressive function by inhibiting a novel gene network that may contribute to HCC progression. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying HCC heterogeneity and highlights miR-192-5p-regulated networks as potential therapeutic targets for HCC.