ABSTRACT
@# Objective: To investigate the effect of miR-144-3p modulating proliferation, migration and apoptosis of liver cancer Huh-7 cells through blocking frizzled class receptor 4 (FZD4)/Wnt/β-catenin pathway and the possible mechanism. Methods: A total of 18 pairs of cancer tissues and corresponding para-cancerous tissues from liver cancer patients, who underwent surgery in Workers' Hospital of Liuzhou City from March 2012 to July 2017, were collected for this study; in addition, hepatic cancer cell lines (Huh-7, SMMC7721 and MHCC97) and human normal liver epithelial cell line THLE-3 were also collected. The expression of miR-144-3p in liver cancer tissues and cell lines was detected by qPCR. MiR-144-3p mimics/inhibitor and FZD4 siRNA were transfected into liver cancer Huh-7 cells; the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of Huh-7 cells were evaluated by CCK-8 assay, Transwell assay, wound healing assay and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining flow cytometry assay, respectively. The interaction between miR-144-3p and FZD4 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Results: The expression of miR-144-3p was down-regulated in liver cancer tissues and cell lines (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Over-expression of miR-144-3p significantly inhibited cell proliferation viability, migration but induced apoptosis of Huh-7 cells (all P<0.01). Moreover, dual-luciferase reporter gene assay showed that miR-144-3p directly interacted with FZD4 and suppressed its expression. Furthermore, in vitro experiments verified that miR-144-3p targeted FZD4 to suppress the proliferation, migration and promote apoptosis of Huh-7 cells via blocking Wnt/β-catenin pathway (all P<0.01). Conclusion: miR-144-3p inhibits malignant biological behaviors of liver cancer Huh-7 cells via blocking Wnt/FZD4/β-catenin signaling pathway, which may provide potential molecular targets for early diagnosis or treatment of liver cancer.