miR-29c suppresses pancreatic cancer liver metastasis in an orthotopic implantation model in nude mice and affects survival in pancreatic cancer patients.

We investigated mechanisms of pancreatic cancer metastasis and defined the biological role of miR-29c in pancreatic cancer metastasis. After two rounds of cell selection in vivo, pancreatic cancer cells with various metastatic potentials derived from spontaneous liver metastases were used as a model of pancreatic cancer to determine the role of miR-29c in pancreatic cancer metastasis. Pancreatic cancer samples were analyzed for miRNA-29c expression, and these levels were associated with survival between groups. miR-29c suppresses cell migration and invasion by targeting the MMP2 3'UTR. Overexpression of miR-29c suppresses pancreatic cancer liver metastasis in a nude mouse orthotopic implantation model. miR-29c expression was associated with metastasis and pancreatic cancer patient survival. miR-29c plays an important role in mediating pancreatic cancer metastasis to the liver by targeting MMP2. Therefore, miR-29c may serve as a novel marker of pancreatic cancer metastasis and possibly as a therapeutic target to treat pancreatic cancer liver metastasis.