Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40993657›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2025

Proteomic profiling identifies miR-423-5p as a modulator of oncogenic metabolism in HCC.

Amalia Luce, Marco Bocchetti, Alessia Maria Cossu, Madhura S Tathode, David J Boocock, Clare Coveney, Maria Preziosa Romano, Maria Roberta De Iesu, Ines Simeone, Luigi Mele and 6 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of translational medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Amalia Luce *Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
Marco Bocchetti *Department of Life Health Sciences and Health Professions, Link Campus University, 00165, Rome, Italy.
Alessia Maria Cossu *Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy. alessiamaria.cossu@unicampania.it.ORCID 0000-0003-2646-1254
Madhura S TathodeDepartment of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
David J BoocockJohn van Geest Cancer Research Centre, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
Clare CoveneyJohn van Geest Cancer Research Centre, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
Maria Preziosa RomanoDepartment of Science and Technology, University of Sannio, Benevento, Italy.
Maria Roberta De IesuDepartment of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
Ines SimeoneHumanitas Research Hospital, 20089, Rozzano, Italy.
Luigi MeleUniversity of Basilicata, Via Dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100, Potenza, Italy.
Giovanni VitaleLaboratory of Geriatric and Oncologic Neuroendocrinology Research, IRCCS, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
Rossella SperlonganoDepartment of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy. rossella.sperlongano@unicampania.it.
Gabriella MissoDepartment of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.
Elisabetta A M VerderioJohn van Geest Cancer Research Centre, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
Silvia ZappavignaDepartment of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy. silvia.zappavigna@unicampania.it.
Michele CaragliaDepartment of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Naples, Italy.

Funding

Epimet (F/310034/03/X56)PNRR - MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2 "Dalla Ricerca all'Impresa".e (PE00000019)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a significant clinical challenge due to limited diagnostic and therapeutic options. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), play key roles in cancer biology. Our previous findings showed that miR-423-5p enhances anti-cancer effects on HCC patients treated with sorafenib by promoting autophagy. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying miR-423-5p function through a comprehensive proteomic approach.

methodsWe generated an HCC cell line stably overexpressing miR-423-5p via lentiviral transduction. Total proteins were extracted from SNU-387 cells, enzymatically digested into peptides, and subsequently analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/M). Raw spectral data were processed and quantified using MaxQuant. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were defined based on fold-change (|log2FC| ≥ 1) and false discovery rate (FDR < 0.05). The full proteomic dataset is available via the ProteomeXchange repository (identifier: PXD064869). Functional enrichment analysis of DEPs were performed using DAVID and Reactome. To assess clinical relevance, predicted and validated miR-423-5p targets were integrated with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (LIHC) dataset using GEPIA platform. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method.

resultsProteomic profiling identified 698 DEPs in miR-423-5p-overexpressing cells compared to controls with significant enrichment in metabolic pathways, related to purine/pyrimidine metabolism and gluconeogenesis. Integration with bioinformatic predictions and miRTarBase validation identified 43 DEPs as potential direct targets of miR-423-5p. Among these, seven proteins (ACACA, ANKRD52, DVL3, MCM5, MCM7, RRM2, SPNS1, and SRM) were significantly associated with patient prognosis in the TCGA-LIHC cohort. These targets were downregulated in miR-423-5p-overexpressing cells but upregulated in advanced-stage HCC tissues, suggesting a potential role for miR-423-5p in the regulation of HCC pathogenesis. Stage-specific expression analysis showed increased levels from stage I to III, followed by a decline at stage IV. Notably, we experimentally confirmed miR-423-5p-mediated suppression of MCM7, DVL3, IMPDH1, and SRM (SPEE), supporting their functional involvement in HCC progression.

conclusionOverall, our findings support a tumour-suppressive role for miR-423-5p in HCC, mediated by modulation of metabolic pathways and suppression of oncogenic proteins. These results suggest that miR-423-5p and its downstream effectors may serve as promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in HCC. HIGHLIGHTS: miR-423-5p acts as a tumor suppressor in HCC by targeting key nodes of pro-tumorigenic signalling. miR-423-5p significantly altered metabolic pathways, including purine/pyrimidine metabolism and gluconeogenesis. Seven miR-423-5p targets correlate with poor prognosis in TCGA-LIHC patients and are downregulated in miR-423-5p overexpressing HCC cells. miR-423-5p over-expression induces a significant downregulation of MCM7, DVL3, IMPDH1, SPEE in HCC cell models. miR-423-5p limits tumor metabolic plasticity, suggesting therapeutic potential.

Indexed as

CarcinogenesisCarcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsMicroRNAsProteomicsCell Line, TumorGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMicroRNAsGluconeogenesisHepatocellular carcinomamiR-423-5pNucleotide metabolismOverall survivalProteomicsSpermidine synthaseStage plot

Identifiers

PMID40993657
PMCPMC12462032

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.