Objective  To explore the effect of heparanase (HPSE) on the cell adhesion and invasion ability of hepatoma carcinoma (HC) cell.

  Methods  HPSE expressions in human HC cell lines (BEL-7402, HepG2, and HCCLM3) were measured by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Four recombinant miRNA vectors, pcDNATM6.2-GW/EmGFP-miR-HPSE (pcDNA-miR-HPSE), were constructed and transfected into HCCLM3 cells. Full-length cDNA of HPSE gene was cloned into pIRES2-EGFP vector and transfected into HepG2 cells. Transfection efficiency was observed with fluorescence microscope. HPSE expressions in transfected cells were measured by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Adherence ability was determined with microplate reader, and invasion and migration abilities were detected with Transwell chambers.

  Results  Both HPSE mRNA and protein relative expression levels were higher in the three types of HC cells than those in normal hepatocyte (P < 0.05). HPSE had the highest expression level in HCCLM3 cells and the lowest expression level in HepG2 cells (P < 0.05). All five recombinant vectors met the experimental requirements. The transfection efficiencies were 75%-85%. The four miRNA vectors, pcDNA-miR-HPSE, significantly decreased HPSE expression in transfected HCCLM3 cells (P < 0.05), and pcDNA-miR-HPSE-1 showed the best interference effect (P < 0.05). Plasmid pIRES2-EGFP-HPSE increased HPSE expression in transfected HepG2 cells (P < 0.05). After pcDNA-miR-HPSE-1 was transfected, the HCCLM3 cell adherence rate and the cell invasion and migration numbers dropped by almost 50% (P < 0.01). After transfection of pIRES2-EGFP-HPSE, the HepG2 cell adherence rate and the cell invasion and migration numbers increased by nearly 40% (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Different HPSE vectors could regulate bi-directionally the adherence, invasion, and migration abilities of transfected HC cells. HPSE may be related with adherence aside from invasion of HC cell.