miR-216a-5p inhibits invasion ability in human lung cancer cells by down-regulation of MMP16 expression / 中国癌症杂志

ABSTRACT

Background and purpose:MicroRNA (miRNA) belongs to a class of 19 to 30 nucleotide-long, endogenous noncoding RNA expressed in eukaryotes and predominantly inhibits gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The miRNAs play critical roles in cell proliferation and differentiation, apoptosis, metabolism, and immune regulation. This study aimed to detect the expression of miR-216a-5p in lung cancer tissues and lung cancer cell lines, and to discuss the effects of miR-216a-5p on the invasion ability of lung cancer cells and the mechanism.Methods:Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-216a-5p in lung cancer tissues of 55 cases and 7 lung cancer cell lines. Three lung cancer cell lines of A549, 95D and H460 were transiently transfected by miR-216a-5p, and Transwell was used to detect the effects of miR-216a-5p on the invasion of lung cancer cell lines. The dual luciferase reporter plasmids containing the miR-216a-5p candidate target gene and the gene of matrix metalloproteinase 16 (MMP16) were predicted and constructed. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the changes in mRNA and protein levels of target geneMMP16 by miR-216a-5p. The interference of MMP16 by siRNA and up-regulation miR-216a-5p by transfection were compared on the invasion of lung cancer cells.Results:The miR-216a-5p expression levels were all signiifcantly reduced in 90.91% (50 of 55 patients) tumor tissues compared with corresponding adjacent normal lung tissues (P<0.05). The miR-216a-5p expression levels were only 7.00%-32.00%in 7 lung cancer cells compared with the control group (P<0.05). Up-regulation of the expression of miR-216a-5p inhibited the invasion of lung cancer cells; interference of MMP16 by siRNA, as well as up-regulating miR-216a-5p by transfection, inhibited the expression of MMP16 in lung cancer leading to inhibition of the invasion of lung cancer cells. Conclusion:miR-216a-5p can be a candidate marker in clinical diagnosis and it can inhibit the invasion of lung cancer cells by down-regulating the expression of MMP16.