Volume 18, Issue 1 (March-2026 2026)                   Iranian Journal of Blood and Cancer 2026, 18(1): 64-84 | Back to browse issues page

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Nisa U, Astuti I, Martien R, Maulana D R, Ysrafil Y, Rizkita L D. Integrative In Silico and Experimental Analyses Reveal the Therapeutic Potential of miR-217-5p in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through KRAS Suppression and p53 Activation. Iranian Journal of Blood and Cancer 2026; 18 (1) :64-84
URL: http://ijbc.ir/article-1-1814-en.html
Integrative In Silico and Experimental Analyses Reveal the Therapeutic Potential of miR-217-5p in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through KRAS Suppression and p53 Activation
Ulfatun Nisa1 , Indwiani Astuti2 , Ronny Martien3 , Dhani Rinaldi Maulana4 , Ysrafil Ysrafil *5 , Leonny Dwi Rizkita6
1- Traditional health services unit of Sardjito Hospital, Tawangmangu, Indonesia.
2- Department of Pharmacology and Therapy, Faculty of Medicine Public Health and Nursing. Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
3- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
4- Study Program of Biotechnology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
5- Department of Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Palangka Raya, Palangka Raya, Indonesia , ysrafil@med.upr.ac.id
6- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Abstract:   (587 Views)
Background:  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide, and dysregulation of microRNAs has been increasingly recognized as a critical driver in its pathogenesis. Among them, miR-217-5p has been reported as a tumor-suppressive miRNA, yet its molecular role and therapeutic potential in HCC remain largely unclear.
Methods:  In silico analyses were performed using a network pharmacology approach to construct a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-associated genes targeted by miR-217-5p, followed by hub gene identification using CytoHubba. Functional enrichment analyses, including Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways, were conducted using ShinyGO, while expression and survival analyses were validated using UALCAN, GEPIA2, and the Human Protein Atlas. In vitro validation was performed by delivering miR-217-5p mimics into HepG2 cells using chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs), followed by qRT-PCR analysis of endogenous miRNA expression, KRAS suppression, and p53 restoration.
Results:  A total of 152 potential target genes of miR-217-5p in HCC were identified, which were predominantly enriched in key biological processes related to regulation of cell population proliferation, as well as cancer-associated pathways including PI3K–Akt signaling and hepatocellular carcinoma pathways. PPI analysis, following the removal of disconnected nodes, generated a highly interconnected network comprising 146 nodes and 1042 edges, indicating extensive molecular interactions among the identified targets. Furthermore, hub gene analysis of the PPI network identified PTEN, KRAS, ESR1, HIF1A, and CDH1 as central regulatory genes. Notably, in vitro validation demonstrated that miR-217-5p delivered via chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) successfully restored endogenous miR-217-5p expression and significantly suppressed KRAS expression, exhibiting a strong inverse correlation (r = −0.937, p < 0.0001). In addition, p53 protein levels were markedly increased following treatment.
Conclusion:  Our findings demonstrate that miR-217-5p exerts tumor-suppressive effects in HCC by directly targeting KRAS and restoring p53 expression. Delivery of miR-217-5p using chitosan nanoparticles represents a promising miRNA replacement therapy strategy and highlights its potential as both a therapeutic agent in HCC.

./files/site1/files/Suppl_Table_1._HCC_Related_Protein_from_Database.xlsx
./files/site1/files/Suppl_Table_2._miR-217-5p_Target_Protein_from_Database.xlsx
Keywords: MiRNA-217, Chitosan Nanoparticle, HCC, HepG2, KRAS, P53
Full-Text [PDF 1445 kb]   (278 Downloads)    
: Original Article | Subject: Adults Hematology & Oncology
Received: 2025/12/16 | Accepted: 2026/03/15 | Published: 2026/03/31
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