Page 101 - Book of Abstracts

th
8 Biannual Conference on Chemistry - CHEM 08

MiR-372-3p Predicts Response of TACE Patients Treated With
Doxorubicin and Enhances Chemosensitivity in Hepatocellular
Carcinoma

Marwa H. Soliman , Mohamed A. Ragheb , Emad M. Elzayat , Mervat S.
1†
2
1†
Mohamed , Nada El-Ekiaby , Ahmed I. Abdelaziz , Abdelhady A.
4
1,3
4
Abdelwahab 5,*
1 Department of Chemistry (Biochemistry Division), Faculty of Science, Cairo
University, Giza, Egypt. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Cairo
2
University, Giza, Egypt. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science,
3
University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. School of Medicine,
4
NewGiza University (NGU), NewGiza, Cairo, Egypt. Department of Cancer
5
Biology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Email: abdelhady.abdelwahab@nci.cu.edu.eg.

ABSTRACT
Background: Identification of factors to detect and improve chemotherapy-
response in cancer is a main concern. microRNA-372-3p (miR-372-3p) has been
demonstrated to play a crucial role in cellular proliferation, apoptosis and
metastasis of various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
However, its contribution towards Doxorubicin (Dox) chemosensitivity in
HCC has never been studied. Objective: This study aims to investigate the
potential role of miR-372-3p in enhancing Dox effects on HCC cell line (HepG2).
Their correlation has been additionally analyzed for HCC patients who received
transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with Dox treatment.Methods:
Different cell processes were elucidated by cell viability, colony formation,
apoptosis and wound healing assays after miR-372-3p transfection in HepG2
cells Furthermore, miR-372-3p level has been estimated in blood of primary HCC
patients treated with TACE/Dox by quantitative real-time PCR assay. Receiver
operating curve (ROC) analysis for serum miR-372-3p was constructed for its
prognostic significance. Finally, protein level of Mcl-1, the anti-apoptotic player,
has been evaluated using western blot.Results: miR-372-3p was markedly
downregulated in HepG2 cells compared with its normal control. We also found
a significant higher level of miR-372-3p in blood of responder group of HCC
patients received TACE with Dox than of non-responders. Ectopic expression of
miR-372-3p reduced cell proliferation, migration and significantly induced
apoptosis in HepG2 cells which was coupled with decreased of anti-apoptotic
protein Mcl-1. Conclusion: Taken together, our study demonstrated that miR-
372-3p acts as tumor suppressor in HCC and can act as a predictor biomarker for
drug response. Furthermore, the data referred for the first time its potential role
in drug sensitivity that might be a therapeutic target for HCC.

Keywords: MiR-372-3p, Doxorubicin, Chemosensitivity, TACE, Mcl-1.

BOOK OF ABSTRACTS CHEM 08 (2020) Page 100