Background: miR-378 regulates osteoblast differentiation and participates in tumor cell self-renewal and chemo-resistance. However, the function of miR-378 in liver cancer cell migration has not been reported to date.
Methods: miR-378 expression was examined using real-time quantitative PCR. HepG2 cell migration and liver cell invasion were examined using wound-healing and cell invasion assays. Additionally, HepG2 cell metastasis was analyzed in nude mice.
Results: miR-378 over-expression enhances HepG2 cell proliferation, migration and liver cell invasion. Typical metastatic lesions were found in the livers of mice injected with miR-378-transfected cells, and high levels of the CMV promoter were detected in the nodules, indicating that miR-378 promoted the metastasis of the tumor cells to the liver. We also demonstrated that miR-378 down-regulated Fus expression.
Conclusions: Our results suggested that miR-378 enhanced cell migration and metastasis by down-regulating Fus expression.