Figure 4

Validation of microarray data using real-time RT-PCR. (A) The levels of miR-21, miR-34c-3p, miR-470*, miR-10b and let-7i* are significantly increased, while the levels of miR-200a*, miR-148b are significantly decreased in the SP of HCC cells compared to the fetal liver cells, according to the results of microarray analysis (gray bar). Real-time RT-PCR analysis of these miRNAs using total RNA isolated from the SP fractions showed similar results (white bar). (B) Real-time analysis revealed that some known target genes of those partially validated miRNAs are also significantly differentially expressed between the SP sorted from the HCC cells and fetal liver cells (* P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01). The levels of target gene mRNA are inversely correlated with associated microRNA expression in SP cells.