Upregulated miR-106a plays an oncogenic role in pancreatic cancer.

Carcinogenesis is a complex process during which cells undergo genetic and epigenetic alterations. MicroRNAs control gene expression by negatively regulating protein-coding mRNAs. Several reports demonstrated that miR-106a is up-regulated in gastric and colorectal cancers and promotes tumor progression. In contrast, in glioma miR-106a plays the role of a tumor suppressor gene rather than an oncogene. Here we demonstrate that a high level of miR-106a expression is present in pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, our investigation shows that miR-106a has an oncogenic role in pancreatic tumorigenesis by promoting cancer cell proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasion by targeting tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2). MiR-106a could be a critical therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer.