MiR-542-3p, a microRNA targeting CDK14, suppresses cell proliferation, invasiveness, and tumorigenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer.

MicroRNA-542-3p (miR-542-3p) has been implicated in several cancers; however, its precise role in ovarian cancer is unclear. In this study, we found that miR-542-3p was significantly downregulated in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) tissues and cell lines. Functional assays showed that overexpression of miR-542-3p suppressed tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, whereas miR-542-3p knockdown dramatically promoted tumor cell proliferation and invasion. An in vivo assay also revealed that miR-542-3p overexpression significantly attenuated tumor growth. Mechanistically, the gene of cyclin-dependent kinase 14 (CDK14) was identified as a novel target of miR-542-3p. CDK14 overexpression reversed the suppressive effects of miR-542-3p in ovarian cancer cells. Collectively, these results suggest that miR-542-3p functions as a tumor-suppressive miRNA in ovarian cancer by directly targeting CDK14. Our data provide novel insights into potential future treatments for patients with ovarian cancer.