Lin, Cliff Ji-FanCliff Ji-FanLinGong, Hong-YiHong-YiGongTseng, Hung-ChiaHung-ChiaTsengWang, Wei-LunWei-LunWangWu, Jen-LeihJen-LeihWu2009-07-292018-07-062009-07-292018-07-062008http://ntur.lib.ntu.edu.tw//handle/246246/162858miR-122, a hepato-specific microRNA (miRNA), is frequently down-regulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In an effort to identify novel miR-122 targets, we performed an in silico analysis and detected a putative binding site in the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of Bcl-w, an anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member. In the HCC-derived cell lines, Hep3B and HepG2, we confirmed that miR-122 modulates Bcl-w expression by directly targeting binding site within the 3′-UTR. The cellular mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-w were repressed by elevated levels of miR-122, which subsequently led to reduction of cell viability and activation of caspase-3. Thus, Bcl-w is a direct target of miR-122 that functions as an endogenous apoptosis regulator in these HCC-derived cell lines. ? 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.application/pdf806596 bytesapplication/pdfen-USBcl-w; Hepatocellular carcinoma; miR-122[SDGs]SDG3caspase 3; microRNA; protein bcl w; 3' untranslated region; apoptosis; article; Bcl w gene; binding site; cancer cell culture; cell viability; enzyme activation; gene; gene targeting; human; human cell; liver cell carcinoma; mir 122 gene; nucleotide sequence; priority journal; protein blood level; 3' Untranslated Regions; Apoptosis; Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; Base Sequence; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Caspase 3; Cell Survival; Down-Regulation; Enzyme Activation; Genetic Vectors; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; MicroRNAs; Molecular Sequence Data; RNA, Small Interfering; Transfection10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.07.154http://ntur.lib.ntu.edu.tw/bitstream/246246/162858/1/16.pdf