BACKGROUND: Interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) exhibits tumor-suppressive functions in several cancer types. In the present study, the antitumor properties and related pathway mechanism of IRF6 were investigated in cervical cancer. METHODS: Forty-one pairs of cervical cancer specimens and para-carcinoma tissues were collected to evaluate IRF6 expression using immunohistochemical staining and miR-587. The effects of miR-587 and IRF6 on cervical cancer cell growth were explored by MTT assays and in a HeLa tumor xenograft mouse model. The migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells were monitored using transwell assays. RESULTS: IRF6 expression in cervical cancer specimens and cell lines was significantly reduced compared to that in the corresponding control group. In addition, IRF6 expression was negatively correlated with miR-587 in cervical cancer tissues. Bioinformatics algorithms and luciferase assays revealed that IRF6 is a potential target of miR-587, and miR-587 mimic transfection led to a significant repression of IRF6 protein levels in cervical cancer cells. We also discovered that the antineoplastic properties of IRF6 could be reversed by overexpressing miR-587 in cervical cancer cells. The up-regulation of miR-587 was correlated with poor overall survival in cervical cancer. In an in vivo experiment, miR-587 silencing induced HeLa tumor growth inhibition, which was associated with the up-regulation of IRF6 protein in the tumor. CONCLUSIONS: miR-587 post-transcriptionally represses IRF6 protein expression to abrogate the antineoplastic activity of IRF6. The miR-587/IRF6 signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the progression of cervical cancer and serves as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cervical cancer.
BACKGROUND:Interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) exhibits tumor-suppressive functions in several cancer types. In the present study, the antitumor properties and related pathway mechanism of IRF6 were investigated in cervical cancer. METHODS: Forty-one pairs of cervical cancer specimens and para-carcinoma tissues were collected to evaluate IRF6 expression using immunohistochemical staining and miR-587. The effects of miR-587 and IRF6 on cervical cancer cell growth were explored by MTT assays and in a HeLa tumor xenograft mouse model. The migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells were monitored using transwell assays. RESULTS:IRF6 expression in cervical cancer specimens and cell lines was significantly reduced compared to that in the corresponding control group. In addition, IRF6 expression was negatively correlated with miR-587 in cervical cancer tissues. Bioinformatics algorithms and luciferase assays revealed that IRF6 is a potential target of miR-587, and miR-587 mimic transfection led to a significant repression of IRF6 protein levels in cervical cancer cells. We also discovered that the antineoplastic properties of IRF6 could be reversed by overexpressing miR-587 in cervical cancer cells. The up-regulation of miR-587 was correlated with poor overall survival in cervical cancer. In an in vivo experiment, miR-587 silencing induced HeLa tumor growth inhibition, which was associated with the up-regulation of IRF6 protein in the tumor. CONCLUSIONS:miR-587 post-transcriptionally represses IRF6 protein expression to abrogate the antineoplastic activity of IRF6. The miR-587/IRF6 signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the progression of cervical cancer and serves as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cervical cancer.