MicroRNA-29a inhibits proliferation and motility of schwannoma cells by targeting CDK6.

MicroRNA-29 (miR-29) family is involved in various types of cancer regulation. Although miR-29 family was shown to play an inhibitory role in tumorigenesis, the effect of miR-29a expression on schwannoma cells still remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of miR-29 family in schwannoma. The expressions of miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c were detected in the Schwann tissues and cell lines using qRT-PCR. The effect of miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c on cell viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis was tested. Then, the regulatory relationship between miR-29a and CKD6 was detected using qRT-PCR, Western blot, and luciferase assay. Finally, the phosphorylation levels of mainly factors in JNK and p38MAPK/ERK pathways were analyzed by Western blot. The expression of miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c was downregulated in Schwann tissues and cell lines. Cell viability, migration, invasion were decreased, while apoptosis was increased when miR-29a, miR-29b, and miR-29c overexpression. We further found that miR-29a negatively regulated expression of CDK6. Then, knockdown of miR-29a promoted cell viability, migration, invasion, and inhibited apoptosis in schwannoma cells by upregulating CDK6 expression. In addition, the overexpression of miR-29a downregulated CDK6 expression by deactivation of JNK and p38MAPK/ERK pathways. Our data suggested that miR-29a could play an important role in inhibiting proliferation and motility of cancerous Schwann cells, and may suppress tumor growth through upregulation of CDK6.