Inhibits the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via Cross-Species Regulation of .

Liver fibrosis, a critical precursor to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), results from chronic liver injury and significantly contributes to HCC progression. Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease, is known to cause liver fibrosis; however, this process can be modulated by schistosome-derived miRNAs. Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) deliver to hepatic stellate cells, leading to the inhibition of expression and alleviation of liver fibrosis. Given the well-documented antifibrotic and antiproliferative properties of the miRNA family, this study aims to preliminarily investigate the effects of the axis on BALB/c mice and HCC cell line SNU387, providing a basis for the potential application of parasite-derived molecules in HCC therapy. In the present study, schistosome-induced fibrosis datasets were analyzed to identify the role of in extracellular matrix organization. Pan-cancer analysis revealed that is upregulated in various cancers, including HCC, with significant associations with immune cell infiltration and clinical parameters, highlighting its diagnostic importance. Functional assays demonstrated that transfection with mimics significantly reduced expression, inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. These findings suggest that , by targeting , has the potential to serve as a therapeutic agent in HCC treatment. This study indicates the pivotal role of in liver fibrosis and HCC, and the promising therapeutic application of helminth-derived miRNAs.