miR-383 inhibits cell growth and promotes cell apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting IL-17 via STAT3 signaling pathway

Objectives: Emerging microRNAs (miRNAs) are validated to take part in pathological processes, including numerous carcinomas. Currently, we focused on the functional role of miR-383 and interleukin-17 (IL-17) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the underlying molecular mechanisms were also the emphases in our research. Methods: We used reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to measure the expression levels of miR-383 in 45 paired tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues extracted from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. These tissues were also stained for IL-17 using immunohistochemical staining. Western blot was performed to detect the protein expressions of following protein-coding genes, including pStat3, Stat3 and GAPDH. A dual-luciferase activity was carried out to determine whether IL-17 was the downstream gene of miR-383 in hepatocellular carcinoma development. The colony assay, CCK8 assay, and apoptosis assay were used to explore the detailed regulatory effects of miR-383/IL-17 axis in the cellular processes of hepatocellular carcinoma separately. Results: miR-383 was down-regulated significantly in tumor tissues, while IL-17 was up-regulated. IL-17 was certificated to act as the downstream gene of miR-383. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-383 suppressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the raised IL-17 attenuated the inhibition effect of miR-383 in hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, we found that p-Stat3 was repressed by miR-383, and the up-regulation of IL-17 reversed the suppression effect in hepatocellular carcinoma. Conclusions: miR-383 may play a anti-tumor role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting IL-17 through STAT3 signaling pathway. miR-383/IL-17 axis maybe a potent target for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.