OBJECTIVE:　To　detect　the　expression　of　microRNA-143　(miR-143)　in　hepatocellular　carcinoma　and　investigate　whether　transfection　of　miR-143　could　influence　the　biological　behaviors　of　hepatocellular　carcinoma　cells.　METHODS:　Hepatocellular　carcinoma　tissues　and　its　corresponding　adjacent　normal　tissues　were　obtained　from　patients　undergoing　radical　surgical　resection.　Real-time　quantitative　PCR　was　utilized　to　detect　the　relative　expression　of　miR-143　in　hepatocellular　carcinoma　tissues　and　corresponding　adjacent　normal　tissues.　MiR-143　mimics　and　negative　control　oligonucleotides　were　synthesized　and　transfected　into　HepG-2　cells　in　vitro.　Proliferation,　apoptosis　and　invasion　of　the　transfected　cells　were　measured　by　MTT　assay,　flow　cytometry　(FCM)　combined　with　annexin　V-FITC/PI　staining,　and　Transwell(TM)　assay,　respectively.　The　protein　levels　of　Toll-like　receptor　2　(TLR2),　nuclear　factor　kappa　B　(NF-κB),　matrix　metalloproteinase　2　(MMP-2)　and　MMP-9　were　detected　by　Western　blotting.　RESULTS:　Expression　of　miR-143　was　significantly　lower　in　hepatocellular　carcinoma　tissues　than　in　paired　adjacent　normal　tissues.　The　level　of　miR-143　was　significantly　up-regulated　after　transfection　of　miR-143　mimics.　And　proliferation　and　invasion　were　significantly　inhibited,　but　apoptosis　was　promoted　after　transfection.　Expressions　of　TLR2,　NF-κB,　MMP-2　and　MMP-9　were　reduced　by　miR-143　mimics＇　transfection.　CONCLUSION:　The　miR-143　expression　was　low　in　hepatic　carcinoma　and　its　over-expression　could　down-regulate　the　expressions　of　TLR2,　NF-κB,　MMP-2　and　MMP-9.