Matrine induces hepatocellular carcinoma apoptosis and represses EMT and stemness through microRNA-299-3p/PGAM1 axis
Baolin Wang, HuiHai Wang, Qin Zhao, Fei Lu, Zhenzhuang Yan, Fang Zhou, Qinglun Su
Abstract
This study explored the impacts of matrine on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell growth, metastasis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and stemness through regulating the microRNA (miR)-299-3p/phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) axis. The association between miR-299-3p expression with the prognosis of HCC patients was studied. miR-299-3p and PGAM1 sequences were transfected into matrine-treated HCC cells, and cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and stemness were detected, as well as protein expression of EMT- and stemness-related makers. The targeting relationship between miR-299-3p and PGAM1 was identified. Matrine elevated miR-299-3p expression, repressed proliferation, invasion, and anti-apoptosis of HCC cells, and constrained EMT and stemness in vitro. PGAM1 was a target of miR-299-3p. Repression of PGAM1 rescued the effects of miR-299-3p downregulation on HCC cells. Matrine stimulates HCC cell apoptosis and represses the process of EMT and stemness through the miR-299-3p/PGAM1 axis.