Increased miR-19b expression, positive expression rates of P13K and Akt, decreased PTEN expression rate, a negative correlation between PTEN expression and tumor lymph node metastasis, and a positive correlation between the expression of P13K and Akt and the clinical stages were observed in the WT tissues.
The expression levels of miR-21 and PTEN protein in WT and corresponding para-tumoral tissues were investigated by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.