MicroRNAs are key players of the p53 pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miR) are noncoding regulatory RNA molecules which play a role as tumor suppressors or oncogenes in nearly all types of cancer. It has been shown that microRNAs, most notably members of the miR-34 family underlie transcriptional regulation by p53. Of clinical importance a loss of miR-34a has been linked to resistance against apoptosis induced by p53-activating chemotherapeutic agents.We have previously shown a role of p53 and its family members p63 and p73 in the induction of apoptosis, chemosensitivity and treatment response of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Here we investigated the reg…