Taken together, these results provide evidence to show the suppression role of miR-34a in tumor migration and invasion through modulation of the c-Met signaling pathway.
Finally, miR-34 reconstitution experiments in p53 mutant EOC cells resulted in reduced proliferation, motility, and invasion, the latter of which was dependent on MET expression.
Human U251 glioma cells were transfected with miR-34a mimics, and the effects of miR-34a restoration were assessed by MTT assays, cell cycle analysis, caspase-3 activation, and in vitro migration and invasion assays.
Re-expression of miR-34a in human pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSCs) and in human pancreatic cancer cell lines upon treatment with 5-Aza-dC and SAHA strongly inhibited the cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, self-renewal, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion.
Overexpression of c-Myc reversed miR-34a suppression of RhoA expression and inhibition of cell invasion, suggesting that miR-34a inhibits invasion by suppressing RhoA through c-Myc. miR-34a was also found to repress the c-Myc-P-TEFb transcription elongation complex, indicating one of the mechanisms by which miR-34a has profound effects on cellular functions.
We identified several miR-34a target genes, including Arhgap1, which encodes a RHO GTPase activating protein that was required for tumor cell invasion.
T-VISA-miR-34a induced robust, persistent expression of miR-34a, and dramatically suppressed breast cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion in vitro by downregulating the protein expression levels of the miR-34a target genes E2F3, CD44, and SIRT1.
Over-expression of miR-34a partially inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells in vitro, as well as the tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma cells in vivo. c-Met is a target of miR-34a, and regulates the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells.
Overexpression of c-Myc reversed miR-34a suppression of RhoA expression, suggesting that miR-34a inhibits invasion by suppressing RhoA through c-Myc. miR-34a was also found to repress c-Myc-pTEFB transcription elongation complex, indicating one of the mechanisms by which miR-34a has profound effects on cellular function.
The expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-9, two enzymes involved in cell migration and invasion, was decreased in miR-34a-transfected cells, and this can be rescued by Fra-1 overexpression.
Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) including miR-34 family have been found to play a critical role in tumorigenesis through regulating the expression of its target genes, which are involved in many cellular processes such as cell proliferation, survival, apoptosis, migration, invasion and angiogenesis.
In functional experiments, miR-34a mimic suppressed cell growth, migration and invasion, meanwhile it increased cellular apoptosis and caspase activity in HCC cells. miR-34a mimic also reduced phospho-ERK1/2 and phospho-stat5 signaling.
Therefore, it can be concluded that through the inhibition of CD44 expression levels, miR-34a plays a significant role in the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells.
Our results demonstrate that miR-34a/c functions as a metastasis suppressor to regulate breast cancer migration and invasion through targeting Fra-1 oncogene and suggest a therapeutic application of miR-34 in breast cancer.
Knockdown (siRNA) of HOTAIR decreased PCa cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. miR-34a was also up-regulated by genistein and may directly target HOTAIR in both PC3 and DU145 PCa cells.
In this study, we found that miR-34a and miR-34c target platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha and beta (PDGFR-α and PDGFR-β), cell surface tyrosine kinase receptors that induce proliferation, migration and invasion in cancer.