Shuai Chen1, Jianyun Zhang1, Lisha Sun2, Xuefen Li2, Jiaying Bai1, Heyu Zhang2, Tiejun Li1. 1. Department of Oral Pathology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China. 2. Central Laboratory, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The function of miR-611 has not yet been reported. We aimed to investigate the effects of miR-611 on tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) and the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression level of miR-611 in TSCC tissues was measured using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were examined by performing CCK-8, IncuCyte and Transwell assays. Bioinformatics analyses and microarrays were used to screen for target genes, which were verified using a luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The xenograft model was used to assess the effects of miR-611 in vivo. RESULTS: miR-611 was upregulated in TSCC tissues, which was significantly correlated with TNM stage and negatively associated with the overall survival of patients. In addition, upregulation of miR-611 not only potentiated the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of TSCC cells in vitro, but also promoted tumour growth in vivo. FOXN3 was identified as a candidate target gene of miR-611 and subsequently verified. Finally, miR-611 induced a malignant phenotype of TSCC, which was rescued by overexpression of FOXN3. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that miR-611 is a novel therapeutic target for TSCC.
OBJECTIVES: The function of miR-611 has not yet been reported. We aimed to investigate the effects of miR-611 on tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) and the underlying mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression level of miR-611 in TSCC tissues was measured using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were examined by performing CCK-8, IncuCyte and Transwell assays. Bioinformatics analyses and microarrays were used to screen for target genes, which were verified using a luciferase reporter assay, RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The xenograft model was used to assess the effects of miR-611 in vivo. RESULTS:miR-611 was upregulated in TSCC tissues, which was significantly correlated with TNM stage and negatively associated with the overall survival of patients. In addition, upregulation of miR-611 not only potentiated the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of TSCC cells in vitro, but also promoted tumour growth in vivo. FOXN3 was identified as a candidate target gene of miR-611 and subsequently verified. Finally, miR-611 induced a malignant phenotype of TSCC, which was rescued by overexpression of FOXN3. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that miR-611 is a novel therapeutic target for TSCC.