Abstract

Previous literature has validated the clinical effectiveness of ailanthone in repressing the development of different human cancers. Therefore, this project aimed to investigate the role and possible mechanism of ailanthone in liver cancer. Huh-7 cells were treated with various concentrations of ailanthone (low-dose ailanthone, medium-dose ailanthone, high-dose ailanthone), or transfected with microRNA-negative control and microRNA-489-3p mimics. Furthermore, transfected Huh-7 cells were exposed with high-dose ailanthone. Cell counting kit-8, plate clone formation, scratch, and Transwell detected cell proliferation, clone formation, migration, and invasion. Besides, microRNA-489-3p, matrix metalloproteinase-2, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 contents were assessed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. After exposure to various doses of ailanthone, cell proliferation inhibition rate and microRNA-489-3p expression were increased in a dose-dependent manner, whereas cell clone formation, migration, invasive, and matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix metalloproteinase-9 protein levels were decreased. Beyond that, microRNA-489- 3p expression was reduced in liver cancer tissues; its upregulation might block Huh-7 cell growth. MicroRNA489-3p downregulation might abrogate high-dose ailanthone-mediated cell malignant behaviors inhibition. Ailanthone treatment could hinder Huh-7 cell malignant behaviors through regulating microRNA-489-3p.