title: miR-145 inhibits proliferation and invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in part by targeting c-Myc.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulating evidence has shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in human esophageal cancer and crucial to tumorigenesis. Herein, we identified the role of miR-145 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) development in vitro and in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  miR-145 expression was investigated in 40 ESCC samples as well as 5 ESCC cell lines by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Crystal violet and transwell assays were conducted to explore the effects of miR-145 on the proliferation and invasion of human ESCC cell lines, respectively. The impact of overexpression of miR-145 on putative target c-Myc was subsequently confirmed via Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  miR-145 expression was frequently downregulated in ESCC specimens and cell lines compared with adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.05). Overexpression of miR-145 suppressed (p < 0.05) ESCC cell proliferation and invasion, as well as the growth of xenograft tumors in mice. Overexpression of miR-145 significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the protein level of c-Myc which has previously been identified as a direct target of miR-145.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that overexpression of miR-145 inhibits tumor growth in part by targeting c-Myc. Our findings revealed that miR-145 may act as a tumor suppressor in ESCC, and its dysregulation may be involved in the initiation and development of human ESCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Nengchao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C541010:MIRN145 microRNA, human; C489427:MYC protein, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc