We set a 2-fold threshold for changes in gene expression per individual patient, i.e., changes lower than 0.5-fold were considered down-regulation and higher than 2-fold were considered up-regulation. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-tailed paired

t test and Wilcoxon matched-pairs test and differences were considered significant when P < 0.05. For miRNA data analysis an additional manual screen was performed in order to check that the control group had consistent Ct values (Ct obtained for all three HL samples and less than 1.5 Ct variation between all three). All miRNAs that had deviating Ct values between the three HL samples were excluded from the analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using a two-tailed t test and differences were considered significant when P < 0.05. Softwares TargetScan24 and PicTar23 were used for ABC 3′untranslated region (UTR) target prediction of cellular miRNAs. Additionally,

PS-341 in vitro 3′UTR sequences were manually screened for miRNA seed-matching sequences. Predictions are presented in Supporting Tables S1, S2. Luciferase reporters were made selleck by cloning of ABC 3′UTR sequences (Tables S3, S4), in the renilla luciferase gene in the psiCheck-2 vector (Promega, Madison, WI). Constructs with mutated miRNA seed sequence in the ABC genes (nt 2 to 6) were synthesized by IDT (Coralville, IA). Primary miRNA (pri-miRNA) sequences were amplified (primer sequences, Table S3) from human adult normal breast tissue genomic DNA (Biochain, Hayward, CA). miRNA expression plasmids were made by cloning of the pri-miRNAs in the pcDNA6.2 vector medchemexpress (Invitrogen). All constructs were verified by sequencing (Macrogen, Seoul, Korea). Human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells were cultured according to the American Tissue Culture Collection (ATCC) instructions.

Cells were plated in 6-, 24-, or 96-well plates 1 day prior to transfection. Transfections were performed with Lipofectamine 2000 or LTX reagent (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For luciferase assays, HEK293T cells were cotransfected with 5 ng of Luc-ABC reporter that contains both firefly and renilla luciferase genes and 150 ng of the corresponding miRNA expression constructs. Expression values when the miR-Control (miR-Ctrl) was transfected were set at 1. Transfected cells were assayed at 72 hours posttransfection and firefly and renilla luciferase activities were measured with the Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay System (Promega) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The relative luciferase activity was calculated as the ratio between the renilla and firefly luciferase activities. In order to perform ABC gene and miRNA expression profiling, tissues were sampled from HCC and AHL from 19 patients. Three patients received chemotherapy (FR06, FR16, and FR17) prior to sampling, whereas 16 were untreated.