MicroRNA-98-5p regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of A549 cells by targeting MAP4K3.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a primary subtype of lung cancer that is accompanied by a high incidence rate and poor prognosis. The primary treatment for NSCLC is chemotherapy, which has low effectiveness and high toxicity. Thus, novel targeted therapy has drawn much attention in recent years. MicroRNAs (miRs) serve important roles in multiple cancer types. In the current study, a decrease in miR-98-5p and an increase in mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinase 3 (MAP4K3) was observed in NSCLC tumor tissues compared with normal tissues. miR-98-5p was predicted to target positions 1,056-1,063 of the MAP4K3 3'-untranslated region (UTR). The binding sites between miR-98-5p and the 3'-UTR of MAP4K3 messenger RNA were supported by the results of a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Compared with the control and miR-negative control (NC) groups, miR-98-5p mimic significantly reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis in NSCLC cells. In addition, miR-98-5p mimic reduced the expression of MAP4K3 and mammalian target of rapamycin while increasing the expression of cleaved caspase-3 compared with the control group and miR-NC groups. In conclusion, miR-98-5p may inhibit the progression of NSCLC via targeting of MAP4K3.